2024 cbhsports Arkansas Football Preview: Auburn, Texas A&M

Image Courtesy: Arkansas Razorbacks

Saturday, September 21
@ Auburn
3:30-8 PM ET, TBA
Auburn came to Fayetteville last November and dominated Arkansas by a score of 48-10. A week later, the Tigers fell to New Mexico State before losing on 4th and 31 to Alabama in the final seconds on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. The point is, Hugh Freeze’s team was very up and down in his first season in Auburn that resulted in a 6-7 record. Freeze’s 2022 Liberty team also went to Fayetteville and beat the Razorbacks. However, he lost his last two games against Arkansas as the head coach of the Ole Miss Rebels. After Auburn had the worst passing offense in the SEC last season (162.2 yards per game), former Michigan State QB Payton Thorne returns for a second year in Freeze’s system next to incoming five-star freshman receiver Cam Coleman, who starred this spring. Productive running back Jarquez Hunter returns for his senior year. Behind Hunter, Damari Alston and Jeremiah Cobb provide great depth. Half of Auburn’s offensive line returns, making this offense look very comfortable headed into 2024. If Payton Thorne is improved and is able to get the ball out to his receivers even better than he did in Auburn’s drubbing of Arkansas in 2023, the Tigers can definitely get another win over the Razorbacks. Freeze replaced fired defensive coordinator Ron Roberts with former Texas A&M defensive coordinator DJ Durkin. They did lose a few pieces to the NFL draft but five defensive starters return for the Tigers including sophomore defensive end Keldric Faulk, senior nose tackle Jayson Jones, senior buck Jalen McLeod, senior linebacker Eugene Asante, and senior cornerback Keionte Scott. There will be less familiarity on the defensive side of the ball with a new playcaller and less returners but a talent uptick with incoming transfers Gage Keys, Trill Carter, Philip Blidi, Isaiah Raikes, and Keyon Crawford should make Auburn fans excited. The last time Arkansas played on “The Plains”, KJ Jefferson led the Razorbacks to a 41-27 win. However, Arkansas’ new group of starters on both sides of the ball will make their trip to a raucous Jourdan-Hare Stadium crowd even tougher to play against. Projected Score: Auburn 35, Arkansas 28

Saturday, September 28
Texas A&M (Arlington)
3:30-4:30 PM ET, TBA
I’m sure every college football fan has at least heard of Texas A&M’s dominance of Arkansas since joining the Razorbacks in the SEC. In their last 11 match-ups, the Aggies have won 10 games while the Razorbacks have just won one (2021). Arkansas has held the lead at halftime in many of these games, making Razorback fans shriek. The last scheduled “Southwest Classic” game in Arlington at AT&T Stadium should be a treat in the afternoon window, as announced on SEC Network on June 14th. Fans should be excited to see this series return to College Station and Fayetteville (where the game will be played in the fall of 2025). A&M replaced head coach Jimbo Fisher with his former defensive coordinator, Duke head coach Mike Elko, who has reenergized the program with offensive coordinator hire Collin Klein (who replaces Bobby Petrino who is now back as the offensive coordinator at Arkansas) and defensive coordinator hire Jay Bateman. Klein was a fantastic college quarterback at Kansas State, where he was previously the offensive coordinator while Bateman was the inside linebackers coach at Florida. Aggie signal-caller Connor Weigman has been in and out of the lineup during his two seasons as the starting quarterback. Being coached by Bobby Petrino last season, Weigman starred in his offense last fall before a season ending injury against the Razorbacks in Arlington. Losing receivers Ainias Smith (graduation) and Evan Stewart (transfer to Oregon) will be difficult but Jahdae Walker, Moose Muhammad, and Noah Thomas are a veteran group that will be tough to defend against Arkansas’ new secondary group. Rueben Owens and Le’Veon Moss are competing to be the new starting tailback behind an offensive line that returns just one new starter, sophomore center Mark Nabou Jr.. Losing star defensive lineman Walter Nolen to Ole Miss is difficult but with Elko back as head coach, the guy who originally recruited the tremendously talented class of 2022, including senior defensive tackle Shemar Turner, who passed on the NFL this past April. Next to Turner is former Purdue defensive end (junior) Nic Scourton, sophomore defensive tackle DJ Hick and defensive end Shemar Stewart. The Aggie defense causes everyone fits so it will be up to former Aggie offensive play caller Bobby Petrino to help his offense against Elko’s talented defensive unit. This will be another close game in the “Southwest Classic” series but Texas A&M wins. Projected Score: Texas A&M 28, Arkansas 24

Projected Record: 3-3 (0-2) SEC