Sam Pittman set the bar pretty high for himself in his rookie season as Arkansas’ football coach.

He helped the Razorbacks snap a 20-game SEC losing streak, finishing 3-7 against a grueling all-SEC schedule. Now entering Year 2, the Hogs’ head man will look to continue to climb the ladder.

Arkansas returns 19 starters, including star receiver Treylon Burks. With the conference losing streak monkey off their backs, they’ll hope to improve on their win total.

Here are a few realistic goals for the Razorbacks in Pittman’s second year.

1. Make a bowl game

The Razorbacks were supposed to face TCU in the Texas Bowl in 2020, but the game was canceled. (In fairness, in a normal season, they wouldn’t have qualified with 3 wins.) They will have an opportunity to play in a bowl for the first time since 2016 this year.

There are 3 near-automatic games Arkansas should win: Rice, Georgia Southern and Arkansas-Pine Bluff. That leaves the Hogs a goal of 3 victories in SEC play (or 2 and a victory over Texas in the nonconference) to become bowl eligible.

They face a pair of teams they beat last year in Mississippi State and Ole Miss. Games against Auburn and Missouri look winnable as well. Arkansas lost to both by less than a touchdown in 2020. I expect Pittman to have the Hogs back in a bowl in 2021.

2. Pull off 1 upset

There are 4 teams Arkansas should have no business beating: Alabama, Georgia, LSU and Texas A&M. Factor in that 3 of those 4 games are on the road, and it’s easy to see why many have dubbed the Razorbacks’ schedule the toughest in the nation.

It would be nice to see them come away with at least 1 upset.

Arkansas faces the Aggies first on Sept. 25 in Fayetteville. That could be their best chance to earn a win against a ranked opponent. A&M is starting a freshman quarterback in Haynes King, and Arkansas is his first SEC game.

If it’s not A&M, winning the Battle for the Golden Boot against LSU on Nov. 13 would be equally satisfying. The Razorbacks have lost the past 5 meetings against the Tigers.

3. Finish in the top half of SEC in total defense

It was a roller-coaster season for the defense in 2020. After forcing 13 turnovers over the first 4 games, injuries mounted and the Razorbacks finished 11th in the conference in total defense.

They were slightly better against the pass (9th in the SEC) than the run (12th).

Ten starters return this year, with defensive lineman Jonathan Marshall the only loss. Linebackers Grant Morgan and Bumper Pool, as well as safety Jalen Catalon, will lead what should be a much-improved defense this year.

4. Average more than 30 points per game

The Razorbacks scored a respectable 25.7 points per game last season.

Offensive coordinator Kendal Briles is known for retooling offenses, and Arkansas already added a couple of weapons this offseason — to help offset losing Mike Woods to Oklahoma. Raheim Sanders figures to make an impact behind Trelon Smith at running back. Ketron Jackson, the Razorbacks’ top-rated recruit, should see time at receiver.

They have a new starter at quarterback in KJ Jefferson, but he is entering his third year with the program. If the offensive line can offer him enough protection, achieving 30 points per game should be an easy feat.

5. A 1,000-yard season for Treylon Burks

Burks enters 2021 as a potential first-round draft pick and perhaps the best receiver in the SEC. So it may seem surprising that he has yet to compile a 1,000-yard receiving season.

The Warren, Arkansas, native would likely have eclipsed that mark if he had played more than 9 games last year.

Having a player of Burks’ caliber could help propel the Hogs back into the spotlight. He will take on a heavier offensive burden this season and if he excels it will be a huge step in Arkansas’ climb back to the top.