Believe it or not, we're just a little over a month away from having college football back into our lives and the stacks couldn't be hire for the four Division I teams in the Natural State...
- It's year number four of the Bielema era and despite the seemingly huge odds Big Bret has shown improvement each of the previous seasons (starting his first year at 3-9 overall with an 0-8 league mark to last year ending the '15 season at 8-5 overall, 5-3 in SEC play). Despite losing stud offensive players in QB Brandon Allen, TE Hunter Henry and RB Alex Collins, many pundits still peg this to be Bielma's best team in his tenure; with a schedule including a trip to TCU, as well as hosting perenial powers like Alabama, Florida, LSU and an ever fiesty Ole Miss it'll be interesting to see if BB's 2016 Hogs can live up to the relatively high expectations. Speaking of high expectations...
- ...In just two seasons as the head man in Jonesboro, Blake Anderson was able to get the Red Wolves back into dominating form, completely steam rolling through conference play and winning another outright sunbelt title (the program's fourth in the last five years). As impressive as 2015 was for Astate, the season started off rough for the Pack (starting September 1-3 with the lone win coming against a bad Missouri State team) and then getting thrashed by Louisiana Tech 47-28 in the New Orleans Bowl certainly left a bad taste in everyone's mouths to end the '15 season; Now with over 10 Power 5 transfers added throughout the last year to the program (ranging from former Pitt QB Chad Voytik to Arkansas' own Kendrick Edwards though he'll have to sit this season out) Anderson and crew looks certainly has made it clear they're playing for absolute keeps in 2016, and with a schedule that only has one P5 date (an iffy looking Auburn squad) and no Appalchian State to battle with, 2016 certainly appears to be yet another big season for Arkansas State.
- This will also be year three for Steve Campbell in Conway; the head bear began his tenure in 2014 with a 6-6 overall record, 5-3 in Southland play; the Bears showed progress last season improving their overall mark to 7-4 and posting a 7-2 league record. UCA fans are certainly hoping this will be the year Coach Campbell can get the Bears back to the postseason for the first time since the 2011 season, and getting their first three games of the season all at home certainly can help Central Arkansas' playoff aspirations go a long way.
- The Golden Lions were on cloud nine in 2012; originally picked third in the SWAC Western Division (and Fifth overall) in the Coaches preseason poll, Monte Coleman did the improbable and led UAPB to their first SWAC Championship (and second overall since 1966). However, just as joyous as the '12 season was, fast forward almost four years later and the Golden Lions have fallen immediately back on hard times, winning a mere eight games out of their last 33.The outlook for 2016 looks pretty grim for UAPB, being voted dead last in both the SWAC's Western Division as well as the league overall.
With the storylines in mind, lets check out the team's schedules for the upcoming season and discuss which game will be the key games for each Arkansas team.
Arkansas Razorbacks
Key Game: Texas A&M (Dallas)
To start off the month of September, the Hogs open up with Louisiana Tech, TCU and Texas State. Come the September 24th date against the Aggies in Dallas, Arkansas will most certainly be coming into Cowboys Stadium with a 2-1 mark; if the Razorbacks can somehow pull of the upset against TCU, this makes the game against A&M that much more critical. While October will still be a helluva month for the Hogs, if Arkansas can enter the Alabama game sitting at 3-1, it'll help shake off the "slow start" mantra that has haunted Bret Bielema and crew, not to mention end the four game skid the Razorbacks currently have suffered against A&M.
2016 Razorbacks Schedule
| Saturday Sep. 3 |  | Louisiana Tech Bulldogs D.W.R. Razorback Stadium, Fayetteville, AR | 3:00pm CT SECN | Buy Tickets |
| Saturday Sep. 10 |  | at TCU Horned Frogs Amon G. Carter Stadium, Fort Worth, TX | 6:00pm CT ESPN/ESPN2 | Buy Tickets |
| Saturday Sep. 17 |  | Texas State Bobcats D.W.R. Razorback Stadium, Fayetteville, AR | 6:30pm CT SECN Alt. | Buy Tickets |
| Saturday Sep. 24 |  | at Texas A&M Aggies AT&T Stadium, Arlington, TX | TBA | Buy Tickets |
| Saturday Oct. 1 |  | Alcorn State Braves War Memorial Stadium, Little Rock, AR | TBA | Buy Tickets |
| Saturday Oct. 8 |  | Alabama Crimson Tide D.W.R. Razorback Stadium, Fayetteville, AR | TBA | Buy Tickets |
| Saturday Oct. 15 |  | Ole Miss Rebels D.W.R. Razorback Stadium, Fayetteville, AR | TBA | Buy Tickets |
| Saturday Oct. 22 |  | at Auburn Tigers Jordan-Hare Stadium, Auburn, AL | TBA | Buy Tickets |
| Saturday Oct. 29 | --- | OFF | --- | --- |
| Saturday Nov. 5 |  | Florida Gators D.W.R. Razorback Stadium, Fayetteville, AR | TBA | Buy Tickets |
| Saturday Nov. 12 |  | LSU Tigers D.W.R. Razorback Stadium, Fayetteville, AR | TBA | Buy Tickets |
| Saturday Nov. 19 |  | at Mississippi State Bulldogs Davis Wade Stadium, Starkville, MS | TBA | Buy Tickets |
| Saturday Nov. 26 |  | at Missouri Tigers Faurot Field, Columbia, MO | 1:30pm CT CBS | Buy Tickets |
Arkansas State Red Wolves
Key Game: Georgia Southern
When looking at the 2016 schedule for the Red Wolves, it would certainly appear to shape up nicely for Astate; only one "money game" against Auburn, two OOC games against a retooling Toledo and rebuilding Utah State squads and to top it all off no Appalachian State (which based on many pre season predictions seem to be the heavy favorites for SBC Champs). The two seemingly tough games on Astate's schedule would appear to be against '14 champs Georgia Southern and traveling to Lafayette. While the Red Wolves certainly have struggled to win in Cajun land (only winning there once in the last 14 years) the match up against Louisiana-Lafayette isn't until the second to last game of the season; The Eagles on the other hand is the first conference date for Astate on national tv; it's going to be huge for both teams, however if Arkansas State can get the win, it's almost probable they'll run through the next 4 SBC games to be 5-0 in conference come their November 17th trip to Troy (which certainly looks to be vastly improved in 2016).
Red Wolves 2016 Schedule
| Friday Sep. 2 |  | Toledo Rockets Centennial Bank Stadium, Jonesboro, AR | 8:00pm CT ESPNU | Buy Tickets |
| Saturday Sep. 10 | | at Auburn Tigers Jordan-Hare Stadium, Auburn, AL | 6:30pm CT SECN | Buy Tickets |
| Saturday Sep. 17 |  | at Utah State Aggies Maverik Stadium, Logan, UT | 8:00pm CT CBSSN | Buy Tickets |
| Saturday Sep. 24 |  | Central Arkansas Bears Centennial Bank Stadium, Jonesboro, AR | TBA | Buy Tickets |
| Saturday Oct. 1 | --- | OFF | --- | --- |
| Wednesday Oct. 5 |  | Georgia Southern Eagles Centennial Bank Stadium, Jonesboro, AR | 7:00pm CT ESPN2 | Buy Tickets |
| Saturday Oct. 15 |  | South Alabama Jaguars (HC) Centennial Bank Stadium, Jonesboro, AR | TBA | Buy Tickets |
| Saturday Oct. 22 | --- | OFF | --- | --- |
| Saturday Oct. 29 |  | ULM Warhawks Centennial Bank Stadium, Jonesboro, AR | TBA | Buy Tickets |
| Thursday Nov. 3 |  | at Georgia State Panthers Georgia Dome, Atlanta, GA | 6:30pm CT ESPNU | Buy Tickets |
| Saturday Nov. 12 |  | New Mexico State Aggies Centennial Bank Stadium, Jonesboro, AR | TBA | Buy Tickets |
| Thursday Nov. 17 |  | at Troy Trojans Veterans Memorial Stadium, Troy, AL | 8:30pm CT ESPNU | Buy Tickets |
| Saturday Nov. 26 |  | at UL Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns Cajun Field, Lafayette, LA | TBA | Buy Tickets |
| Saturday Dec. 3 | | at Texas State Bobcats Bobcat Stadium, San Marcos, TX |
Central Arkansas Bears
Key Game: Samford
When going over UCA's past couple of seasons, one of the key things that stuck out to me was the Bears mediocre showing it had against fellow FCS opponents in out of conference play; since 2013 the bears have gone 3-4, one of those being a 45-16 thrashing UCA took at Samford last season. Much like the NCAA basketball tourney, in the FCS world it's all about winning your conference title to get into the FCS football playoffs. If you don't win it, the next best thing you can do is win your non conference games. In fact, many pointed to the Samford lost as keeping the Bears out of postseason play last year; with not only revenge on UCA's mind, but the fact that their only other OOC game is slated against Arkansas State, that September 10th game could once again decide whether UCA can break their playoff appearance drought
UCA 2016 Schedule
MILITARY APPRECIATION DAY / SENIOR DAY
HUNTSVILLE, TX
ARKANSAS PINE BLUFF GOLDEN LIONS
Key Game: Alabama A&M
It's been mighty tough goings for Monte Coleman and the Golden Lions. And the 2016 schedule for UAPB certainly doesn't offer any breaks for the squad; By the time their homecoming match up against the Alabama A&M Bulldogs comes around in middle October, it'll be only their second home game of the season (they do have a neutral site matchup against Jackson State in Little Rock on September 24th). The Golden Lions and Bulldogs have been pretty competitive against one another, alternating wins and losses against one another since 2008 (also keep in mind the home team has won eight out of the last nine times). With three of their remaining five games on the road after Homecoming, if the Lions want to have any chance at a successful season they've got to come up with the 'W' against A&M.
UAPB 2016 Schedule
BIG JOHN MERRITT CLASSIC
PINE BLUFF, ARK.
GOLDEN LION STADIUM
RADIO: KUAP 89.7 FM
ALCORN STATE, MISS.
JACK SPINKS- MARINO CASEM STADIUM
RADIO: KUAP 89.7 FM
LITTLE ROCK, ARK.
WAR MEMORIAL STADIUM
RADIO: KUAP 89.7 FM
HOMECOMING
PINE BLUFF, ARK.
GOLDEN LION STADIUM
RADIO: KUAP 89.7 FM
GRAMBLING, LA.
EDDIE G. ROBINSON STADIUM
RADIO: KUAP 89.7 FM
PINE BLUFF, ARK.
GOLDEN LION STADIUM
RADIO: KUAP 89.7 FM
HOUSTON, TEXAS
BBVA COMPASS STADIUM
RADIO: KUAP 89.7 FM
SENIOR DAY/CHURCH DAY
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