As Silverfield Look Towards Future, Getting Arkansas In Playoff Discussion Is Part Of It

FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas has three regular season games left in 2026, yet a good chunk of Ryan Silverfield's news conference on Monday revolved around the future of Razorback football.

With the news Monday that the College Football Playoff will officially be expanding to 24 teams come 2027, Silverfield was asked what he thought about the change.

"As a head coach here for me, the goal obviously is to be in this discussion next year," Silverfield said. "That needs to be the goal for this football program to be in the discussion every time there is a playoff talk. Right now, my focus is on getting ready for South Carolina. But it's an extra added opportunity for more teams to get into the fight."

Reaction to the change among college football fans has been mixed, if not outright negative. But there could be an advantage for a program like Arkansas that is still trying to build itself into a contender. There's obviously a long way for the Razorbacks to go before potentially reaching the CFP is a realistic discussion, but its expansion to 24 teams makes a playoff berth in the near future much more plausible.

Portal talk

With the last quarter of the season on tap, talk of the transfer portal and what players may stay or go has already started.

Silverfield denied that giving younger players such as Markeylin Batton and Danny Beale reps in Arkansas' 26-23 road loss to Auburn on Saturday was done with the future in mind, saying "it’s all about trying to win right now."

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Silverfield was pressed about how he and his staff evaluate players in the portal and when he'll begin having conversations with current players he's interested in retaining.

"Legally, we probably shouldn't be looking at anybody until January 4 when they announce that they're going in the portal, Silverfield said. "There is a lot of film being watched on every player and every level of college football, by every institution. I mean, even Division II schools are
scouting every school in the country to figure out who may be out there and who may be available. We've got full faith in our recruiting department.

Arkansas Razorbacks coach Ryan Silverfield speaks with Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz. — Arkansas Razorbacks coach Ryan Silverfield speaks with Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz prior to the game on Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026. | Nilsen Roman, Hogs On SI Imagaes

"You're just kinda always keeping your ears to the ground, your eyes open, and trying to make sure that, 1. that your current roster is taken care of and it is moving forward what you want it to look like.

"Obviously, there's the low hanging fruit that the staffs that are no longer intact because, a lot of times, just like when we took this program where there's some kids that already made the decision, that they weren't gonna be a part of this moving forward. And, and sometimes that's out there, obviously. Agents are making calls all the time. I try not to go too far down those rabbit holes because I've got enough on the surface right here, just trying to get ready for South Carolina."

Silverfield said his policy for evaluating potential returnees is an "open-door policy" and that he's already had "some players" that have expressed interest in coming back.

"Those are good, comfortable conversations," Silverfield said. "Then if they proceed into going to have the conversations with what that looks like financially, so be it. But listen, there are plenty of guys on this current roster that we want to keep, and guys that are going to be a part of our future and help us not just in these next three games or however long we get to play the season, but for the years to come."

Provided that Arkansas doesn't win out and make a bowl game, you can be sure that there will be plenty of portal buzz come the evening of Nov. 28, hours after the conclusion of Arkansas' season finale against No. 14 LSU.

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