Arkansas to face 10 conference opponents, SEC delays start of season

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KATV) — Gone are Arkansas' games against Nevada, Charleston Southern and Louisiana-Monroe. Gone is the much-anticipated trip to South Bend to face Notre Dame.

Instead, in the midst of the pandemic, the SEC intends to play a 10-game, conference only schedule this season. The league has also pushed back the start of the season to Sept. 26.

“After careful consideration of the public health indicators in our region and following advice of our medical advisors, we have determined that this is the best course of action to prepare for a safe and healthy return to competition for SEC student-athletes, coaches and others associated with our sports programs,” SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey said

“We believe these schedule adjustments offer the best opportunity to complete a full season by giving us the ability to adapt to the fluid nature of the virus and the flexibility to adjust schedules as necessary if disruptions occur. It is regrettable that some of our traditional non-conference rivalries cannot take place in 2020 under this plan, but these are unique, and hopefully temporary, circumstances that call for unconventional measures.”

The revised schedule, including dates, will be announced in 7-10 days, following approval by the conference’s athletics directors. It is unclear which two additional SEC teams will be added to Arkansas' altered schedule, although these eight games will be played:

• at Mississippi State
• at Texas A&M (tentatively at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, but likely to move to College Station)
• vs. Alabama
• vs. LSU
• vs. Tennessee
• at Auburn
• vs. Ole Miss
• at Missouri (tentatively at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo., but likely to move to Columbia)

“Throughout this process, we have worked collectively and diligently as a conference to pursue the opportunity for student-athletes to compete in their respective sports, while maintaining the health, safety and well-being of student-athletes, coaches, staff members and fans,” Arkansas Director of Athletics Hunter Yurachek said in a news release. “Overwhelmingly, our student-athletes at the University of Arkansas have indicated that they want an opportunity to compete. The thoughtful plan announced today by the SEC will allow us to push back the start of the football season, while also providing the ultimate flexibility to accommodate a 10-game conference schedule. There are still many details to be worked out, but this is a positive first step in allowing us to work toward a return to competition in a safe and appropriate manner.”

The SEC's shift to a conference-only schedule follows that of the Big Ten and Pac-12. The ACC announced plans to play 10 conference games, plus one non-conference game. The Big 12, which canceled its annual Media Day event on Monday, has not announced any schedule modifications.

In a conference call with reporters, Yurachek said he anticipates roughly 25 percent capacity at Razorback Stadium this fall. Season ticket holders will receive further information at a later date, according to the Arkansas athletics department.