FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas athletics director Hunter Yurachek said Thursday the Razorbacks will move their scheduled 2026 home football game against Memphis to 2030 to accommodate the SEC’s new nine-game scheduling model.
Yurachek, speaking at the Hawgs Illustrated luncheon, confirmed the change as part of the adjustments required after the SEC voted to expand the conference slate beginning in 2026.
Arkansas will maintain its other nonconference games that season, including a road game at Utah and home matchups against North Alabama and Tulsa. In other words, he’s arranging it to keep two games the Hogs should be favored to win, the tougher of those three is put off awhile.
“We had to make a change with Memphis, and that game will now take place in 2030,” Yurachek said.
The SEC announced earlier this year that each team will play nine league games beginning in 2026, a move designed to increase competitive balance and strengthen postseason resumes in the expanded College Football Playoff.
Commissioner Greg Sankey said the additional game will enhance rivalries and create more opportunities for quality matchups.
Under the format, each program will have three permanent opponents and rotate six others on a four-year cycle. That ensures every team will play all others both home and away during that span.
The league also requires its members to schedule one nonconference game per season against a Power Four opponent or Notre Dame. Arkansas will meet that requirement with its 2026 road trip to Utah.
Originally, Arkansas had been set to open the 2026 season with North Alabama on Sept. 5, followed by a Sept. 12 game at Utah. The Razorbacks were scheduled to host Memphis on Sept. 19 and Tulsa on Nov. 21. The updated plan keeps all but the Memphis date intact.
Arkansas has additional nonconference series lined up in future seasons, including a neutral-site game against Texas Tech at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas in 2030, a home game against the Red Raiders in 2031 and a road matchup in Lubbock in 2034.
The conference’s decision to increase league games has drawn mixed reaction from athletic directors and coaches across the league. Supporters point to projected revenue growth and a stronger national schedule, while critics note the loss of scheduling flexibility and potential financial strain on programs forced to alter contracts with nonconference opponents.
CBS Sports estimated earlier this year that the additional SEC game could generate as much as $5 million annually per school. Others caution that the expanded format could make bowl eligibility more difficult for some programs.
For Arkansas, the immediate effect is limited to the postponement of its Memphis game. The Razorbacks will still play a nonconference schedule in 2026 that includes one Power Four opponent, an FCS opponent and two Group of Five opponents, consistent with most seasons since joining the SEC.
The Razorbacks open the 2025 season against Arkansas State at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock before returning to Fayetteville for their first SEC matchup.
Three Key Takeaways
• Arkansas moved its 2026 home game against Memphis to 2030, aligning with the SEC’s new nine-game league schedule.
• The Razorbacks will still play Utah, North Alabama and Tulsa in 2026, preserving three of their originally scheduled nonconference games.
• The SEC’s nine-game format increases revenue and competitive balance but reduces scheduling flexibility for future nonconference matchups.