Hogs, Fans Have to See Saturday as Start of New Year

Six-game season much more manageable when seen as fresh schedule

Author:
Kent Smith
Publish date:
Oct 12, 2022 3:06 PM EDT

In this story:

It's not been the best past month for Arkansas football.

A dramatic comeback against an FCS school at home followed by three straight losses can be a bit deflating.

Arkansas wide receiver Jadon Haselwood is dumped onto his shoulder in a home game against Alabama.

However, during dark times, the best way to move forward is to literally move forward. The start to the season has to be seen as its own separate season that is now over.

Saturday has to be the season opener in minds of the Razorback football team and its fans. It's a fresh start to a six-game season.

There's already a mental precedent for this with the 2020 season that got off to a late start with fewer games ahead.

KJ Jefferson is back for the opener after being limited during the "offseason." The Hogs get a primetime TV slot as they kick off the schedule with a big time road game against a national brand with the chance to build a little momentum heading into the conference schedule.

Arkansas quarterback KJ Jefferson is back to take on BYU in Provo.

For the first time in forever, Arkansas has a favorable schedule. Facing future Big 12 member BYU on the road is expected to be a tough test to measure where this team stands.

Then Sam Pittman's team gets an Auburn team that will most likely feature a new coach and its usual turmoil before wrapping up the first half of the season with a pesky, but beatable, Liberty team that will play BYU the week before.

Arkansas then heads into the meat of the SEC schedule where it will have a chance to potentially knock Ole Miss out of the national championship picture the week after the Rebels face Alabama.

Lane Kiffin throws up his arms at one point in Ole Miss' win over Arkansas last October. (Marvin Gentry/USA TODAY Images)

That game will be sandwiched between a home game against an LSU team still trying to figure out its identity that features a pair of key former Razorbacks who left the Arkansas secondary high and dry, and a road game against a Missouri team that has faced a great deal of its own turmoil.

Its possible the Tigers may be simply looking to get to finals week and home for Christmas without adding injuries to the list of reasons to be down during the holidays.

Is an undefeated season possible?

Sure.

A lot of that will just depend on whether Jefferson can stay healthy for the full season and some things can be shored up in the secondary.

The good thing about this football season beginning so late is that if it doesn't go well, basketball games officially begin Sunday.