2020 Arkansas Razorbacks football team

The 2020 Arkansas Razorbacks football team represented the University of Arkansas in the 2020 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Razorbacks played their home games at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The team competed as a member of the Western Division of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) and was led by first-year head coach Sam Pittman.[1]

2020 Arkansas Razorbacks football
ConferenceSoutheastern Conference
DivisionWestern Division
2020 record3–7 (3–7 SEC)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorKendal Briles (1st season)
Defensive coordinatorBarry Odom (1st season)
Captain
Home stadiumDonald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium
(Capacity: 80,800)[lower-alpha 1]
2020 Southeastern Conference football standings
Conf  Overall
Team W L    W L 
East Division
No. 13 Florida x  8 2     8 4  
No. 7 Georgia  7 2     8 2  
Missouri  5 5     5 5  
Kentucky  4 6     5 6  
Tennessee  3 7     3 7  
South Carolina  2 8     2 8  
Vanderbilt  0 9     0 9  
West Division
No. 1 Alabama x$#  10 0     13 0  
No. 4 Texas A&M  8 1     9 1  
Auburn  6 4     6 5  
LSU*  5 5     5 5  
Ole Miss  4 5     5 5  
Mississippi State  3 7     4 7  
Arkansas  3 7     3 7  
Championship: Alabama 52, Florida 46
  • $ Conference champion
  • x Division champion/co-champions
  • * – ineligible for postseason due to self imposed ban
    Note: Due to COVID-19, the SEC will play a conference-only schedule.
Rankings from AP Poll.

In a season impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Razorbacks compiled a 3–7 record, all in conference play. This was the first season since War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock opened that the Razorbacks did not play at least one home game in that stadium. Arkansas was scheduled to play the annual Red/White spring game at War Memorial in April at the conclusion of spring practice, but the SEC did not approve those plans.

On October 3, Arkansas defeated No. 16 Mississippi State, 21–14, snapping a 20-game SEC losing streak.[2] It marked their first conference win since October 2017, their first win against a ranked team since November 2016, and their first road win against a ranked SEC team since November 2015.

After the regular season completed, the Razorbacks accepted a bid to the 2020 Texas Bowl. Slated to face TCU, the bowl was canceled when TCU had to withdraw due to COVID-19 issues within their program.[3]

Previous season

The Razorbacks finished the 2019 season 2–10, 0–8 in SEC play, for the second consecutive year, to finish in last place in the Western Division. After the Razorbacks' tenth game of the season, a loss to Western Kentucky that dropped the Hogs to 2–8, second-year head coach Chad Morris was fired.[4][5] He finished at Arkansas with a record of 4–18. Barry Lunney Jr. finished the season as interim coach[6] and departed the program to serve as the offensive coordinator at UTSA after the season ended.[7]

Season

SEC Media Days

In the preseason media poll, Arkansas was predicted to finish in last place in the West Division.[8]

Media poll (West Division)
Predicted finish Team Votes (1st place)
1Alabama660 (86)
2LSU489 (8)
3Auburn488
4Texas A&M454 (2)
T5Ole Miss238
T5Mississippi State238
7Arkansas121

Preseason All-SEC teams

The Razorbacks had one player selected to the preseason all-SEC teams, released on September 17, 2020.

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