Razorbacks announce full 2026 schedule with SEC, Utah trip ahead

Arkansas has its full 2026 football schedule, and the plan for Ryan Silverfield’s first season is now officially mapped out.

The schedule was released during an SEC Network broadcast, giving fans a look at how the Razorbacks will navigate the first year of the league’s nine-game conference format.

The Razorbacks open the season at home on Sept. 5 against North Alabama. It’s the start of a three-game nonconference stretch that offers a mix of familiarity and something entirely new.

From there, the Hogs travel to Utah on Sept. 12, marking the first meeting between the two programs. The matchup gives Arkansas an early-season road test at a venue it has never visited.

After the trip to Salt Lake City, the Razorbacks take a week off before returning home on Sept. 26 to face Tulsa. That game closes the nonconference portion of the schedule and leads into a demanding SEC run.

The Hogs officially begin SEC play earlier than usual, hosting Georgia on Sept. 19. The conference opener sits between the Utah and Tulsa matchups, giving Arkansas a challenging early test. It also marks one of five SEC home games on the 2026 slate.

Silverfield’s team will also host LSU, Missouri, South Carolina, and Tennessee during the conference schedule.

LSU returns to the season finale slot on Nov. 28, placing the matchup back on Thanksgiving weekend for the first time since 2013. Missouri continues in its rivalry slot on Oct. 31.

The road schedule includes Texas A&M on Oct. 3, giving Arkansas a familiar early-season trip. Vanderbilt follows on Oct. 17, and Auburn is next on Nov. 7. The final road game may be the most anticipated, as the Hogs travel to Texas on Nov. 21 in the continuation of their designated annual matchup.

The league’s scheduling format now ensures Arkansas plays LSU, Missouri, and Texas every year through at least 2029. Those three rivalry pairings shape much of the Razorbacks’ SEC identity moving forward.

Non-conference slate could give Hogs early momentum

The three nonconference games also fit neatly around the Razorbacks’ SEC schedule. Opening with North Alabama provides a chance to settle into the season, and traveling to Utah delivers immediate intrigue.

The matchup is significant not just because it is the first meeting between the teams, but because the Utes have consistently been one of the most physical programs in the Power Four.

Facing Tulsa after a bye week brings the non-conference portion to a close and sets the stage for eight straight weeks of SEC play.

With Georgia waiting in Week 3, the Hogs will have no time to ease into conference competition. The spacing of the early weeks makes the September portion of the season one of the most important stretches.

Georgia’s visit to Fayetteville will mark the first time the Bulldogs have played at Arkansas since the league began reorganizing its schedules.

Tennessee’s arrival on Oct. 10 adds another high-profile matchup, one that falls right in the heart of the season.

Missouri’s trip to Fayetteville on Halloween weekend keeps the Battle Line Rivalry in its traditional spot.

South Carolina’s Nov. 14 visit comes just before the road trip to Texas, giving Arkansas back-to-back November matchups with two programs it has rarely faced over the past decade.

Complete 2026 Razorbacks schedule

Sept. 5 – North Alabama
Sept. 12 – at Utah
Sept. 19 – Georgia
Sept. 26 – Tulsa
Oct. 3 – at Texas A&M
Oct. 10 – Tennessee
Oct. 17 – at Vanderbilt
Oct. 24 – Bye
Oct. 31 – Missouri
Nov. 7 – at Auburn
Nov. 14 – South Carolina
Nov. 21 – at Texas
Nov. 28 – LSU

The nine-game SEC schedule marks the league’s shift to its expanded model.

Arkansas’ home/away balance gives the Hogs significant chances to build momentum in Fayetteville, especially with rivals LSU and Missouri both visiting.

The trip to Texas will draw attention as the continuation of one of the Razorbacks’ most historic series.

With LSU closing the year the following week, Arkansas finishes the season with two opponents it will face annually moving forward.

Key takeaways

Arkansas’ 2026 schedule includes five SEC home games, highlighted by Georgia, Tennessee, Missouri and LSU.

The Hogs travel to Utah for the first meeting between the programs, adding a unique non-conference challenge.

Annual SEC opponents LSU, Missouri and Texas anchor the long-term scheduling rotation through 2029.