CBS Sports’ survey eyes Hogs as 20th in first poll
Whetting the appetite of any college football fan, several preseason polls are out in advance of the more established media and coaches’ surveys later this month.
Although enthusiasm is high for the University of Arkansas after a 9-4 season, caution is advised in Razorback Nation.
Four UA opponents are among the top 25 teams in CBS Sports’ national survey. Arkansas, picked third in the Southeastern Conference West Division, starts No. 20 in the network poll but with an early challenge Sept. 3 from No. 4 Cincinnati, 13-1 last year with a road win over Notre Dame. Now of the Atlanta Falcons, UC quarterback Desmond Ridder completed 64.9% of his passes for 3,334 yards and 30 touchdowns.
Arkansas, led by quarterback KJ Jefferson, is an early 7-point favorite in one poll for the 2:30 p.m. Cincinnati game in Fayetteville on ESPN.
Sam Pittman’s team has home games Oct. 1 against No. 2 Alabama and Nov. 19 against No. 12 Ole Miss but goes on the road against No. 22 Brigham Young Oct. 18 in Provo, Utah.
CBS, contracted by the SEC to televise games, picks Arkansas behind Alabama and Texas A&M in the SEC West. The network ranks the Aggies No. 28 nationally with Arkansas traveling to Arlington, Texas, for the Southwest Classic Sept. 24.
The Razorbacks’’ first SEC game is Sept. 10 against visiting South Carolina, which through the transfer portal in the offseason landed quarterback Spencer Rattler, last year’s preseason Heisman Trophy favorite, from Oklahoma. Heisman winner Bryce Young returns to Alabama after throwing 47 touchdown passes last year and leading the Crimson Tide to the national championship game, where Georgia prevailed in a rematch after losing the SEC title game to Alabama.
Georgia, 14-1 last season and national champion for the first time since 1980, is ranked No. 1 by CBS but faces a Sept. 3 challenge in Atlanta against No. 21 Oregon.
Alabama (13-2), which opens against Utah State, is No. 2 with Michigan (12-2), Cincinnati and Ohio State (11-2) completing the top five. Big 12 rivals Baylor (122) and Oklahoma State (12-2) fill the next two spots with Notre Dame (11-2), Michigan State (112) and Oklahoma (11-2) completing the top 10.
Arkansas also plays No. 46 Mississippi State, No. 53 Auburn, No. 59 LSU and No. 63 Liberty. The Razorbacks finished No. 21 in the CBS poll last year after beating Penn State in the Outback Bowl.
Sun Belt member Arkansas State kicks off its second season under coach Butch Jones with a Sept. 3 home game in Jonesboro against Grambling. The Red Wolves then face a gut check against Ohio State Sept. 10 at venerable Ohio Stadium in Columbus. They step outside the conference again for a game at Memphis, and play three new Sun Belt Conference teams in Old Dominion, James Madison and Southern Mississippi.