Arkansas to Host Seven In-State Games in 2013

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Arkansas will host seven in-state games, including conference matchups with Texas A&M, South Carolina, Auburn and Mississippi State, as part of the
2013 football schedule released on Thursday.

The Razorbacks will play five games at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville, two games at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock and five games on the road, including a game on the outskirts of New York City at Rutgers University in Piscataway, N.J.

“The 2013 schedule provides matchups against some of the other marquee college football programs in the nation,” said Jeff Long, vice chancellor and director of athletics. “With seven home games in the state of Arkansas, Razorback fans will have the opportunity to see key SEC games as well as non-conference matchups featuring first time football opponents. As we continue in the process of working alongside the Southeastern Conference to outline future conference schedules, we are pleased we were able to put together a competitive and compelling 2013 schedule for our program and our fans.”

The 2013 Southeastern Conference schedule is considered a “bridge” schedule and is not based on any other previous or future scheduling formats. The SEC Athletics Directors will convene in Spring 2013 to begin formulating schedules for the 2014 season and beyond.

The Arkansas 2013 non-conference schedule includes two first-time football opponents and a trip to the East Coast. The Razorbacks will play the University of Louisiana at Lafayette (UL-Lafayette) for the fifth time in school history and for the first time since 2002 on the season’s opening weekend in Fayetteville. Arkansas will then host Samford (Sept. 7) in Little Rock and Southern Miss (Sept. 14) the following weekend in Fayetteville. It is the first time Arkansas has played Samford or Southern Miss in football. The Southern Miss game will be a part of Family Weekend festivities on the University of Arkansas campus. Arkansas will conclude its non-conference portion of the schedule when it travels to Rutgers for a non-conference game on Sept. 21. The game will mark the first time Arkansas has played a football game in the northeastern part of the country since playing Fordham in 1940.

Arkansas opens Southeastern Conference play on Sept. 28 when the Razorbacks host longtime rival Texas A&M in Fayetteville. It will mark the first time the Hogs and Aggies have squared off in Fayetteville since 1990, the Razorbacks’ second to last season in the Southwest Conference. The game will mark the completion of a two-year on-campus series. Arkansas and Texas A&M have agreed to resume the Southwest Classic at Cowboys Stadium for 11 seasons beginning in 2014.

After a road date at Florida (Oct. 5), Arkansas returns to Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium to play South Carolina for Homecoming on Oct. 12. Arkansas and South Carolina have played each season since joining the league in 1992 as interdivisional opponents.

Arkansas will travel to Alabama (Oct. 19) for a SEC Western Division matchup before an open date and then a home game against Auburn (Nov. 2) in Fayetteville. The Auburn game will be Senior Day and the final on-campus game of the 2013 season.

The Razorbacks travel to Ole Miss (Nov. 9) before enjoying the second bye week of the season. Arkansas closes out its in-state schedule on Nov. 23 against Mississippi State in Little Rock before traveling to Baton Rouge, La., on Nov. 30 for the regular season finale against LSU.

For more information regarding Razorback football or University of Arkansas athletics, please visit ArkansasRazorbacks.com.