SEC road games can prove troublesome for even the best of teams.
Case in point: Tennessee football’s last visit to Fayetteville, Arkansas. So what if the Razorbacks rarely rose above mediocrity under coach Sam Pittman. They still had the wherewithal to upset the playoff-bound Vols in 2024.
That wasn’t an aberration. Arkansas also won its previous three games in Fayetteville against the Vols.
Perhaps, if I hadn’t been curious enough to take a peek at Arkansas football’s 2026 model, I would be cautioning Tennessee fans to buckle up for UT’s Oct. 10 game at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium.However, I watched Utah methodically dismantle the Razorbacks 43-10. I also watched Georgia rout the Razorbacks 45-17 on their home field before a sparse crowd
by SEC standards.
My conclusion: Arkansas football had sunk to the bottom of the SEC. Not only that, but its fan base was fluctuating between apathy and anger, as evidenced by crowd size and a social media campaign to “empty out the stadium” against Georgia.
My other conclusion: I had seen enough.
So, I missed out on watching Arkansas beat Tulsa by 28 points on Sept. 26. As much as I enjoy college football, there are lines I won’t cross. Arkansas vs. Tulsa was one of those lines.
First-year Arkansas coach Ryan Silverfield must have been euphoric over the Tulsa outcome. He might have even flashed back to better days at Memphis, where he won regularly.
I’m not ruling out the possibility that the rest of this season will be joyless for Silverfield and Arkansas’ fading fan base. There’s a Nov. 14 game in Fayetteville against South Carolina, which – in a best-case scenario for the Razorbacks – will still be coached by Shane Beamer.
Other Saturdays don’t look as promising, though, as evidenced by the Razorbacks’ 34-7 loss to Texas A&M on Oct. 3.
Arkansas’ unfortunate predicament will elicit no sympathy from Tennessee fans, especially those who thought a Fayetteville road trip would be a good idea in 2011.
Bobby Petrino’s Razorbacks gave Derek Dooley’s Vols a Bama-like beating, 49-7. If Arkansas fans want to remember those better days, I highly recommend Googling "Joe Adams’ punt return against Tennessee."
Surrounded by a passel of Vols, Adams wasn’t fazed. He eluded five or six alleged defenders on his way to a 60-yard touchdown.
But that’s not what my wife and brother-in-law hated most about their trip to Fayetteville. She said an Arkansas man heckled them the entire game.
“Hillbillies!” he kept screaming in their direction. An Arkansas fan calling Tennessee fans Hillbillies: How’s that for a lack of self-awareness?
Arkansas fans aren’t in a heckling mood this season. That’s not the only reason Tennessee fans should consider a trip to Fayetteville.
I’m not an expert at acquiring SEC football tickets. But if the home team’s fans are irate enough to promote a stadium boycott, my guess is Tennessee vs. Arkansas won’t be a tough ticket. And maybe, if you wear red, Arkansas will let you in free of charge.
Other road trips also are appealing. In fact, Tennessee has the easiest road schedule in the SEC with games against Arkansas, South Carolina, Texas A&M and Vanderbilt. Their combined SEC record: 1-9.
Arkansas has lost 13 consecutive SEC games. South Carolina has lost eight consecutive conference games.
Texas A&M’s only win in its last four SEC games was against Arkansas.
And Vanderbilt is open again for a stadium takeover now that it doesn’t have to find seats for the Pavia Mafia.
John Adams is a senior columnist. He may be reached at 865-342-6284 or john.adams@knoxnews.com.
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Tennessee football could capitalize on SEC's easiest road schedule | Adams
