Despite college football’s long, deep history, we manage to see something new in the sport almost every Saturday. That’s the case again this weekend, when the Arkansas Razorbacks and Utah Utes face one another on the gridiron for the first time.
Arkansas head coach Ryan Silverfield‘s team debut was a bit messy. The Razorbacks slogged out of the gate versus North Alabama, but dominated time of possession (41:25 to 18:35) in their 31-14 victory.
On the other sideline, Utah posted 31 first-half points in their first game under Morgan Scalley’s tutelage and beat Idaho 66-14. The contrasting showings against FCS schools, and the game’s location (Salt Lake City) are why ESPN’s Football Power Index gives the Utes an 81.8% chance of victory.
Kalshi lists Utah as a 13.5-point favorite over Arkansas, further demonstrating how unlikely the Razorbacks are to prevail. However, games are played on grass, not paper, for a reason.
Like our coverage? Make SDS a preferred source in your searches!
If the Hogs can suffocate Utah’s offense like they did the Lions’ unit a week ago — and control the pace when they possess the ball — they’ll have a chance.
Accomplishing those tasks at night in Rice-Eccles Stadium, though, is no easy feat. The Razorbacks and Utes kick off at 10:15 p.m. E.T. on Saturday (ESPN).
Subscribe to the Saturday Football Newsletter — Get the latest news and updates on your team, your conference, and the college football nation straight to your inbox.
Having trouble seeing the signup form? Some privacy or ad-blocking tools can prevent it from loading. You can subscribe directly here.
