Bahn: A Few Thoughts on Arkansas' (Favorable) 2011 Football Schedule

by Chris Bahn  on Tuesday, Jan. 18, 2011 9:15 am  

Knile Davis and Arkansas have a favorable schedule in 2011. They start the year with three consecutive non-conference games, giving them plenty of time to get the offense rolling. (Photo by Mark Wagner)

This story is from the archives of ArkansasSports360.com.

Arkansas released its 2011 football schedule on Tuesday.

Scanning over it, a few quick thoughts...

• Arkansas has a real chance to build some momentum going into Week 4 at Alabama. There are three consecutive non-conference games to open the year, which will be key to a new quarterback (Tyler Wilson and Brandon Mitchell are the most likely) gaining confidence and figuring out how to use all those weapons with a tough SEC opener looming. Very well-placed non-conference games.

That said...

• There are no quality non-SEC games beyond the Southwest Classic matchup with Texas A&M in Arlington, Texas. No doubt some fans who are having to shell out more money for tickets and the right to buy tickets will be disappointed.

Missouri State, New Mexico (Little Rock) and Troy? Meh.

At least fans should be able to count on the Razorbacks being good. That alone should be worth buying a ticket and showing up, right?

• Arkansas gets what appears to be a well-placed bye week. Nice. The Razorbacks come off three challenging games in a row (at Alabama, A&M and Auburn), but gets a break before consecutive road games (Ole Miss, Vanderbilt) and the final six weeks of the season.

• Tennessee is back in the mix. Arkansas fans have always seemed to get up for the Volunteers as much as anybody in the league. It's got to be the orange, right?

• LSU-Arkansas has moved back to Friday. That's a good spot for the game, which was supplanted on the day after Thanksgiving for Alabama-Auburn.

• A quick, way too-early prediction (absolutely subject to change between now and our summer Football Preview magazine, OK?) ...

Arkansas goes 10-2 with losses at Alabama and at LSU.

2011 University of Arkansas Football Schedule
Sept. 3                 Missouri State
Sept. 10               New Mexico (Little Rock)
Sept. 17               Troy
Sept. 24               at Alabama
Oct. 1                   Texas A&M (Arlington, Texas)
Oct. 8                   Auburn
Oct. 15                 Open
Oct. 22                 at Ole Miss
Oct. 29                 at Vanderbilt
Nov. 5                  South Carolina
Nov. 12                Tennessee
Nov. 19                Mississippi State (Little Rock)
Nov. 25                at LSU (CBS), 1:30 p.m. CT

 

 

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