RAZORBACKS SCHEDULE two games with Utah.

FAYETTEVILLE — The University of Arkansas announced on Wednesday an upcoming football series against the University of Utah starting in 2026.

The first meeting between the schools is scheduled for Sept. 12, 2026, in Salt Lake City. The return game is scheduled for Sept. 16, 2028, in Fayetteville.

The Razorbacks, who are 4-6-1 against current members of the Pac-12 Conference, have not played a member of the league since a 50-14 home loss against USC in 2006, when the Trojans were in the then-Pac-10 Conference.

This is the second recent series Arkansas has set up with a program based in Utah, as the Razorbacks unveiled a two-game set in November with BYU, also a first-time opponent, in 2022-23.

Arkansas has expanded its scheduling possibilities in recent years since the SEC mandated member schools play at least one nonconference football game per year against a Power 5 opponent, Notre Dame, BYU or a member of the military academies. The Razorbacks had to request a waiver on that rule for the 2018 and 2019 seasons after Michigan balked on a previously contracted twogame set, and Arkansas had to scramble to set up a road game at Colorado State for 2018.

The Rams return that game this season on Sept. 14 at Reynolds Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville. Michigan paid $2 million for its breach of contract with the Razorbacks.

Arkansas now has nonconference deals in place for nine consecutive seasons beginning in 2020 with a road trip to Notre Dame on Sept. 12.

In 2021, the Razorbacks will host Texas in the long-awaited return game of a series that started in 2008. Because of various factors, Arkansas officials have had trouble stacking such marquee games in back-to-back seasons.

In addition to the long gap to complete the series with the Longhorns, the Razorbacks’ have non-sequential upcoming series against Notre Dame (2020-2025), Oklahoma State (2024-2027) and Utah (2026-2028).

The 2019 Razorbacks, coming off a 2-10 season, debut at 3 p.m. Aug. 31 against Portland State at Razorback Stadium.

AP file photo Coach Kyle Whittingham (lower left) and the Utah Utes have agreed to a two-game series against the University of Arkansas, with the games being played in Salt Lake City in 2026 and in Fayetteville in 2028.