Hogs add Colorado State to 2018-19 football sked

FAYETTEVILLE — Substituting Colorado State, Arkansas has filled a scheduling void in football created last year when Michigan broke a contract to play the Razorbacks home and home in 2018 and 2019.

The Razorbacks on Wednesday announced that Arkansas will play Sept. 8, 2018, in Fort Collins, Colo. Arkansas and Colorado State have a 2019 game scheduled, either at Reynolds Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville or War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock. Arkansas’ contract with War Memorial Stadium Commission to play one game in Little Rock per year expires after the 2018 season.

Arkansas announced recently that its 2017 football opener with Florida A&M has been moved to Thursday, Aug. 31 for a 7 p.m. kickoff at War Memorial Stadium. Arkansas’ Fayetteville opener is Sept. 9 against TCU and its first SEC game is Sept. 23 against Texas A&M at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Other Fayetteville games are Sept. 30 vs. New Mexico State, Oct. 21 vs. Auburn, Nov. 4 vs. Coastal Carolina, Nov.

18 vs. Mississippi State and Nov.

25 vs. Missouri. Arkansas’ road games are Oct.

7 at South Carolina, Oct. 14 at Alabama, Oct. 28 at Ole Miss and Nov. 11 at LSU.Because of the bind that Michigan’s pullout created, SEC commissioner Greg Sankey is waiving the Razorbacks’ SEC requirement to schedule a Power Five conference opponent, which for an SEC team means one from the Big Ten, Pac 12, ACC or Big 12.

“We are appreciative of the assistance of the Southeastern Conference and Colorado State University in filling the scheduling void created by the cancellation of a home-and-home series with a Big Ten opponent,” Arkansas athletic director Jeff Long said. “Since we received the news of that cancellation this past summer, we worked on a number of scenarios to meet the SEC requirement, but were ultimately unable to find a Power Five conference opponent at this late date. I would like to thank Commissioner Sankey and the other SEC ADs for their cooperation with the waiver. Colorado State is an outstanding program with a beautiful new football stadium. We look forward to our series with them in the coming years.”

In previous meetings, all in Little Rock, Arkansas is 3-0 against Colorado State beating the Rams in 1974, 1979 and 1990.

Earlier in the week, Arkansas announced that it will host Eastern Illinois and Tulsa during the 2018 football season and host Georgia Southern in 2021.