Athlon analyzes the Razorbacks' '15 football schedule.
The first offseason for Bret Bielema was dramatically different than his second in Fayetteville.
Arkansas got back to a bowl game after a winless SEC campaign and fans and prognosticators alike are excited about the Hogs' potential in 2015. The roster is in great shape and the Razorbacks' identity makes them tough to face every weekend.
There are still question marks at key positions but the schedule in the SEC West might be the biggest obstacle to Bielema leading Arkansas back to the SEC Championship Game for the first time in nearly a decade.
Related: Cover 2 College Football Podcast: Early SEC 2015 Preview
2015 Arkansas Schedule
Bye: Week 7
| Wk | Opp. | Date | Location |
| 1. |  |
Sept. 5 | Fayetteville, AR |
| Two previous meetings between UTEP and Arkansas led to two very lop-sided wins (by 32 points in 1989, 39 in 2010) for the Hogs. Expect a similar outcome in the season opener. | |||
| 2. |  |
Sept. 12 | Little Rock, AR |
| Toledo is a feisty MAC program but won't be able to compete in the trenches with a team as big and physical as Arkansas. Look for a second-straight blowout for the Hogs to start the season in the first-ever meeting between the Rockets and Razorbacks. | |||
| 3. |  |
Sept. 19 | Fayetteville, AR |
| These old-school rivals got things renewed a year ago and it was all Hogs. Arkansas' 49-28 win in Lubbock featured 68 rushing attempts, 438 yards and seven scores in the first meeting between the two programs since 1991. The Hogs have owned the all-time series 29-7. | |||
| 4. |  |
Sept. 26 | Arlington, TX |
| Rivalry Restored One of the great aspects to TAMU landing in the SEC West is the renewed rivalry with Arkansas. This was a thriller last season, as Kenny Hill led a wild comeback in overtime. The Hogs lead all-time 41-27-3, but have lost three straight to the Ags. This is a huge early-season pecking order game in the West. | |||
| 5. |  |
Oct. 3 | Knoxville, TN |
| A sneaky awesome early October matchup could feature two surging unbeaten programs. It will be the third physical matchup for Tennessee's defense in the first five weeks. The Vols are 13-4 all-time against the Hogs and haven't lost at home in the series since 1992 (the 1998 matchup needs no explanation). Arkansas won 49-7 in Fayetteville in 2011 in the last meeting. | |||
| 6. |  |
Oct. 10 | Tuscaloosa, AL |
| Alabama has won eight straight in this series but last year's 14-13 win in Fayetteville is one neither side will ever forget. In fact, before the streak started, Arkansas owned an 8-7 series edge in SEC games. The last time these two met in Tuscaloosa, however, was a 52-0 beatdown. The Hogs should be able to keep it much closer this time around. | |||
| 8. |  |
Oct. 24 | Fayetteville, AR |
| Upset Alert Regardless of how the coaches diffuse the rivalry, Gus Malzahn vs. Bret Bielema is a great coaching dynamic. And travelling to Fayetteville is always hard — especially, when it will be easy for Auburn to look ahead to Ole Miss. How Arkansas fares against both Alabama schools in back-to-back games (with an off-weekend between) will likely determine if it is a contender or not. Strangely enough, Hogs fans have to wait until Week 8 for the home SEC opener. | |||
| 8. |  |
Oct. 31 | Fayetteville, AR |
| A Halloween tilt with lowly UT-Martin could be gruesome for the Skyhawks. Look for the backups to get plenty of reps as Arkansas prepares for one of the toughest Novembers in college football. | |||
| 9. |  |
Nov. 7 | Oxford, MS |
| Houston Nutt Bowl This time the revenge factor plays in Ole Miss' favor after getting crushed by Arkansas a year ago. This has been an extremely even series over the years despite the 30-0 score from last fall. The Hogs lead the series 32-28-1 and the two have split the last six meetings in Oxford. | |||
| 10. |  |
Nov. 14 | Baton Rouge, LA |
| The Golden Boot One of the more underrated and always heated rivalries in the SEC West could be a big revenge spot for LSU. The Hogs thrashed the Tigers 17-0 in Fayetteville last season. LSU leads the series 37-21-2 all-time. | |||
| 12. |  |
Nov. 21 | Fayetteville, AR |
| Arkansas owns a 15-9-1 series lead over the Bulldogs but Dan Mullen has reversed that trend of late. Mississippi State has won the past three matchups. The last two meetings have been physical, low-scoring brawls that were decided by one score each. Look for another huge late-season showdown between these two on Nov. 21. | |||
| 13. |  |
Nov. 28 | Fayetteville, AR |
| This was a fantastic late-season showdown a year ago, no matter which rooting side you were on. The 21-14 win sent Mizzou to Atlanta with an East championship. These two have met only six times and the Tigers have won four of them. The last win for the Hogs over Mizzou came in the 2003 Independence Bowl. | |||
Listen to the Cover 2 Podcast: Early 2015 SEC Preview
