Razorbacks finally know when they will face Michigan State Spartans

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — While Arkansas has not officially released its 13-game non-conference schedule, the picture for the Razorbacks' marquee matchups is coming more into focus.

It's been a combination of John Calipari and various national college basketball analysts going on the record to "leak" out several of the Razorbacks' big-stage matchups that will be played in November and December.

On Friday, the playing date for one of those previously reported mega tilts — Arkansas at Michigan State in East Lansing, Mich. — was disclosed by CBS Sports analyst Matt Norlander.

During a podcast he revealed the game will be played on Saturday, Nov. 8, which will mark the end of the first week of the regular season.

It also sets up as the first of five nationally relevant games on Arkansas' slate, which includes a late November (Thanksgiving Day) neutral-site battle against Duke in Chicago, Ill., and an early December home game against Louisville in the third annual ACC/SEC Challenge.

There will also be a mid-December neutral-site game against Texas Tech in Dallas, Texas, and a late December neutral-site game against Houston in Brooklyn, N.Y.

Four of those five teams (excluding Louisville) reached last season's NCAA Tournament Elite Eight with both Houston and Duke advancing to the Final Four. Combine that with the fact Arkansas will face Elite Eight teams Florida, Alabama, Tennessee, and Auburn (the latter twice in a home-and-away round-robin) during SEC play.

Looking at Razorbacks during preseason practices at the Eddie Sutton Practice Court in the basketball performance center in Fayetteville, Ark. | Arkansas Communications

It means the Razorbacks will play all eight Elite Eight teams in the upcoming season and subsequently all four Final Four teams (Duke, Auburn, Houston, and Florida) , both national title-game participants (Florida and Houston), and the now-defending national champions (Florida).

The SEC recently released all 18 playing dates for each of its 16 league members, so 26 of Arkansas' 31 regular-seasons games are now publicly known.

Here's what we think we know about the Razorbacks non-conference schedule (8 foes known, 5 unknown):

11/3 Southern (BWA)
11/8 @ Michigan State
11/11 UCA (BWA)
11/27 Duke (Chicago)
12/3 Louisville ACC/SEC Challenge (BWA)
12/13 Texas Tech (Dallas)
12/16 Queens (BWA)
12/20 Houston (Brooklyn)

SEC round-robin opponents (home-&-away)

- Auburn
- Missouri
- LSU

SEC home games at BWA (5 of the 9 homes games will be played on a Saturday)

- Jan. 3 Tennessee (SEC opener)
- Jan. 13 or 14 South Carolina
- Jan. 20 or 21 Vanderbilt
- Jan. 24 LSU
- Jan. 31 Kentucky
- Feb. 14 Auburn
- Feb. 21 Missouri
- Feb. 24 or 25 Texas A&M
- March 3 or 4 Texas

SEC road games (5 of the 9 road games will be played on a Saturday)

- Jan. 6 or 7 @ Ole Miss
- Jan. 10 @ Auburn
- Jan. 17 @ Georgia
- Jan. 27 or 28 @ Oklahoma
- Feb. 7 @ Mississippi State
- Feb. 10 or 11 @ LSU
- Feb. 17 or 18 @ Alabama
- Feb. 28 @ Florida
- March 7 @ Missouri (SEC / regular-season finale)

**Feb. 3/4 is the mid-week BYE date for the Hogs, which opens up the possibility of scheduling a non-conference game

All 18 SEC games in chronological order

- Jan. 3 Tennessee @ BWA
- Jan. 6 or 7 @ Ole Miss
- Jan. 10 @ Auburn
- Jan. 13 or 14 South Carolina @ BWA
- Jan. 17 @ Georgia
- Jan. 20 or 21 Vanderbilt @ BWA
- Jan. 24 LSU @ BWA
- Jan. 27 or 28 @ Oklahoma
- Jan. 31 Kentucky @ BWA
- Feb. 3/4 BYE
- Feb. 7 @ Mississippi State
- Feb. 10 or 11 @ LSU
- Feb. 14 Auburn @ BWA
- Feb. 17 or 18 @ Alabama
- Feb. 21 Missouri @ BWA
- Feb. 24 or 25 Texas A&M @ BWA
- Feb. 28 @ Florida
- March 3 or 4 Texas @ BWA
- March 7 @ Missouri
- March 11-15 SEC Tournament (Nashville, Tenn. – Bridgestone Arena)