Steele's Last-Place SEC Projection Reflects Arkansas' Long Road Back Under Silverfield

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Darkness, our old friend.

That's probably the phrase Arkansas fans, football program and in general say time and again, especially the men who head back to the magazine section at the local Walmart to allow their wives time to browse the shelves.

Ah, the smell of a 200-page magazine fresh off the press.

Wait, it's 2026 and most use their smartphone, iPad, Chromebook. Yeah, you've probably got the gist of where this is headed.

Arkansas Razorbacks running back Braylen Russell during spring practices. | Nilsen Roman-allHOGS Images

The days of seeing Arkansas being favored among the nation's best entering the season feels like it was yesterday, but also a lifetime ago at the same time. There were days growing up as a high schooler and college student when the Razorbacks were ranked inside the top-25 of most preseason rankings.

There were the Darren McFadden runs as he blew past the LSU defense.

Ryan Mallett rocketing a ball to Jarius Wright stumbling down the sideline only to take a pass 89 yards to the house.

Then, there's those plays Joe Adams used to make such as leaving Auburn defenders in the dust for 92 yards.

Arkansas Razorbacks tailback Darren McFadden (5) celebrates their 50-48 triple overtime victory over the top ranked LSU Tigers at Tiger Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Somehow each of those memories are nearly two decades old.

Just to have a sliver of hope to cover a team competing for a national championship or even a meaningful bowl game again would certainly be a fun change of pace. Covering losing seasons year after year eventually hardens everyone around the program, including journalists.

Those fans who are still around to tell stories about the good old days have to be sick of seeing what the Arkansas football program has become. It's not even a shell of itself anymore, but a ghost of years gone by without even a whimper.

There's been times when it seemed like the pendulum was about to swing the other direction only for the football gods to allow a Razorback quarterback attempt a "Superman" leap from the three-yard line that resulted in a fumble recovery for six points. And as fate would have it, things haven't been the same since.

Perhaps, it shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone that Phil Steele released his annual college football projections last week with Arkansas ranked dead last among SEC teams following a 2-10 season and coaching change.

Phil Steele's Projected SEC Order of Finish

T-1. Georgia Bulldogs
T-1. Texas Longhorns
T-3. Alabama Crimson Tide
T-3. Oklahoma Sooners
T-5. Ole Miss Rebels
T-5. Texas A&M Aggies
T-7. Tennessee Volunteers
T-7. LSU Tigers
T-9. South Carolina Gamecocks
T-9. Auburn Tigers
T-11. Florida Gators
T-11. Vanderbilt Commodores
T-11. Missouri Tigers
14. Mississippi State Bulldogs
15. Kentucky Wildcats
16. Arkansas Razorbacks

Arkansas Razorbacks coach Ryan Silverfield looks on during the spring game at Razorback Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Obviously, the No. 16 ranking is a direct reflection of what the Razorbacks have become.

They were nearly the last team in the conference to embrace NIL how other schools did, including teams it used to associate with like Missouri, Ole Miss, South Carolina, Texas A&M and Kentucky to pass them by.

A roster talent comparison against Arkansas' 2026 schedule illustrates just how far behind the Razorbacks had fallen in recruiting before coach Ryan Silverfield arrived.

Now it's up to him to completely overhaul his program while trying to perform damage control after athletics director Hunter Yurachek brought upon the perception that his football team lacked support.

Yurachek attempted to quiet those concerns following the coaching change by promising the resources necessary to compete. The size of Silverfield's coaching staff, recruiting class and transfer additions suggest Arkansas is finally investing accordingly.

Truthfully, the only way to get out of this hole is to go out and win as the underdog, which is a role that Arkansas' coaching staff is willing to embrace.

Each coach understands the work they put in likely won't show up in the win column each week but it will show up on the field through effort, energy and competitive drive to be better with each down.

To change Steele's and even Paul Finebaum's predictions, Arkansas will have to beat a team or two nobody expects it to.

There's plenty of opportunities to get that done now that Arkansas is projected to play the hardest schedule in the country, according to ESPN's Football Power Index ratings.

Until the Razorbacks prove otherwise, they'll continue to wander through the darkness of the SEC's cellar.

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