FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas and Notre Dame meet Saturday in Fayetteville for the first time in history, a matchup that carries weight for both programs looking to steady their seasons.
Notre Dame enters with a 2–2 record, rebounding last week with a 56–30 win over Purdue.
Arkansas is 2–2 as well, but the Razorbacks are coming off back-to-back losses, including a 32–31 collapse at Memphis after leading by three scores early.
“We’ve got to play with urgency,” Arkansas coach Sam Pittman said this week. “It’s a big moment for our guys.”
Two teams under pressure
The Irish have dropped close games to Texas A&M and Miami, raising early questions about Marcus Freeman’s team.
The 41–40 loss to the Aggies at home stung, while the trip to Miami ended in a 34–27 setback.
For Arkansas, the story is about finishing.
The Razorbacks let chances slip away in losses to Ole Miss and Memphis, sparking local frustration with Pittman’s sixth year in charge.
“Right now it’s about responding,” Pittman said. “We’ve had opportunities and didn’t take advantage. That has to change.”
Key matchups in run game
Notre Dame will lean heavily on sophomore running back Jeremiyah Love, who ran for 157 yards and two touchdowns on 19 carries against Purdue. Jadarian Price provides another option, but Love has emerged as the workhorse.
“If we can impose the run, the rest opens up,” one Notre Dame coach said earlier in the week.
Arkansas answers with quarterback Taylen Green, one of the SEC’s most dynamic runners at his position.
Green leads the team in rushing and forces defenses to defend 11-on-11 football. The Razorbacks also use backs Mike Washington Jr. and Braylen Russell to balance their offense.
Questions on defense
Both defenses enter with something to prove. Notre Dame has allowed big plays in each of its losses, while Arkansas has been vulnerable against the run.
That combination could mean a fast-paced, high-scoring afternoon.
Arkansas defensive lineman Quincy Rhodes Jr. leads the team in sacks and tackles for loss. His matchup with Notre Dame’s offensive front will be critical.
On offense, tight end Jaden Platt has become a reliable big-play option, ranking among the nation’s leaders in yards per catch at his position.
The Razorbacks also bring consistency in the kicking game.
Freshman Scott Starzyk has helped extend Arkansas’ extra-point streak to more than 200, the second-longest active mark in college football.
Betting lines and predictions
Oddsmakers list Notre Dame as a 4.5-point favorite. The over/under is set at 64.5, suggesting a shootout.
Most analysts are siding with a close Notre Dame win. The South Bend Tribune projected a 38–31 Irish victory.
Fox Sports betting models, however, see Arkansas +4.5 as good value, while Covers favors the over.
First meeting between programs
Though both programs have long histories, Saturday marks the first time Arkansas and Notre Dame share a field.
The matchup was originally part of a home-and-home arrangement but was delayed until this season.
The Razorbacks have rarely faced independent opponents under Pittman. They’ve played BYU and Liberty, but never Notre Dame.
Irish freshman quarterback C.J. Carr has handled pressure well through four games. His composure and ability to distribute quickly could be a difference maker.
What to expect
With two teams looking for momentum, the formula is simple.
Arkansas will try to keep the ball in Green’s hands, while Notre Dame will test the Razorbacks’ defensive front with Love and Price.
It could come down to turnovers and late-game execution, areas that have already swung results for both programs this year.
Key takeaways
• Arkansas and Notre Dame will meet for the first time Saturday in Fayetteville.
• The run games with Taylen Green for Arkansas and Jeremiyah Love for Notre Dame could decide the outcome.
• Oddsmakers lean toward a high-scoring game with Notre Dame a slight favorite.