Arkansas Razorbacks 2026 College Football Preview
Posted August 2, 2026
2025 Recap
Record – 2-10
ATS – 5-7
“Feed ’em to the pigs, Errol.”
— Brick Top, Snatch (2000)
The Hogs squealed out to a 2-0 start after knocking over a pair of TOMATO CANS in Alabama A&M and Arkansas St, and then they didn’t win another game all season. Yep, that happened. That said, six of those losses came by one score, so it’s not like they didn’t have chances to pick up a few more wins. Close shaves against Ole Miss, Texas A&M, and LSU were particularly tough to take.
New head coach Ryan Silverfield rolls into town from Memphis and will do his best to get the Hogs headed back in the right direction.
Arkansas Razorbacks 2026 Outlook
OFFENSE
2025 By The Numbers (SEC):
- Scoring: 32.9 PPG (#5)
- Total Offense: 454.8 YPG (#4)
- Rushing: 191.2 YPG (#2)
- Passing: 262.9 YPG (#5)
- Sacks Allowed: 29 (#9)
The Hogs did it all on offense last season and frankly, it’s hard to believe that this team went 2-10. Oh yeah, the defense. Forgot about that.
Anyhoo, dual-threat monster Taylen Green is no longer the starting QB, and a new era will begin in 2026. We’re not sure how it’s gonna go as we approach press time, but WOO PIG has a pair of youngsters battling for the starting gig in last year’s backup sophomore KJ Jackson and redshirt freshman AJ Hill, who comes over from Memphis with head coach Ryan Silverfield. Jackson is a dual-threat specimen who looks like the frontrunner after showing real flashes in limited action last year. Hill, on the other hand, is a pure pocket passer who comes in with an absolute HOSE.
The skill position groups look good for a rebuilding squad. The RB room has a tall order having to replace a 1,000-yard rusher in Mike Washington, and they’ll almost certainly go with a committee approach this season. The most likely guys to get significant touches are Memphis transfer Sutton Smith and holdover Braylen Russell (6-1, 238). The reload at WR was handled pretty well as they landed several productive transfers, including Chris Marshall (Boise St) and Jamari Hawkins (Memphis).
The offensive line should be fine as they’ve got a nice experienced mix of holdovers and new faces.
DEFENSE
2025 By The Numbers (SEC):
- Scoring: 33.8 PPG (#16, dead last)
- Total Defense: 425.2 YPG (#16, dead last)
- Rushing Defense: 185.9 YPG (#15)
- Passing Defense: 239.3 YPG (#13)
- Sacks: 22 (#13)
That was an absolutely disgusting performance across the board last season, and things don’t look rosy heading into this year with a new coaching staff and OODLES of new faces.
That said, there’s some great news to report as the Hogs’ best defensive player is back for another run in DE Quincy Rhodes, who’s coming off a phenomenal season in the PENETRATION department (8 sacks, 15.5 TFL, 6 QBH). Arkansas also has some decent GIRTH in the middle of the line. The biggest concern by far comes in the middle layer, where they’ve gotta replace the team’s top-two tacklers. Over a half-dozen transfers have been thrown at the gaping hole, and the guy with the most promise is probably North Carolina transfer Khmori House, who led the Tar Heels in tackles last year.
The secondary was atrocious last season, and essentially the entire two-deep was vaporized due to graduation and the transfer portal. Thankfully, WOO PIG scooped up a pair of excellent players to build around in CB Jahiem Johnson (Tulane, 9 PBU, 4 INT) and safety Christian Harrison (Cincinnati).
SPECIAL TEAMS
This could be a problem area as the Hogs finished a dismal #102 in the Phil Steele special teams rankings last year and they’ve gotta reload almost across the board. Thankfully, they acquired a solid PK in Max Gilbert, who did strong work with Tennessee last year (14/19 FG, 2/3 from 50+).
Schedule Analysis
Overall – WOO PIG should easily book a pair of non-conference wins against North Alabama and Tulsa. But WHOA, NELLIE— we don’t think we’re man enough to watch what’s gonna happen to them when they travel to Salt Lake City to take on Utah in Week 2. The SEC slate isn’t doing them any favors, either. They’ve gotta host Georgia and travel to Texas, while missing out on a few of the SEC’s bottom-feeders, including Kentucky.
Potential ATS Trouble Spot – at Utah (Sept 12)
At Utah. Good luck with that, yo.
Season Win Total
Market consensus – August 2
Over 3.5 -165
Under 3.5 +135
MEGALOCKS says:
No leanage.
That’s a low bar to clear, but they’ll enter SEC play with two wins.
Note – Our official list of season win total investments will be posted in the blog section of the website.
MEGAmazing Tidbits
BACON-WRAPPED Trivia Taster incoming: Arkansas was actually called the Cardinals until 1909. En route to an undefeated season, following a 16–0 shutout over LSU, legendary coach Hugo Bezdek told a crowd at the train station his boys played like “a wild band of razorback hogs.” The students loved the compliment so much they put it to a campus vote a year later — and the Razorbacks were born.
Arkansas is just 9-33 on the road over the last 10 years.
MEGALOCKS Forecast:
After two brutal seasons in three years, it feels like the right time to move in a different direction. Head coach Ryan Silverfield arrives following a successful run at Memphis — though as we know, the SEC has a long history of chewing up promising newcomers. This is a clear rebuilding year for the Razorbacks, where the main objective is gradual improvement and maybe a signature upset along the way. We’ll call for three or four wins and look forward to better days ahead.
WOO PIG SOOIE!