Arkansas will not be opening the season with Michigan in 2018 and '19 as has been the plan since 2012. UM officials nixed that contract to renew their rivalry series with Notre Dame.
It sounds like they didn’t hesitate to make that decision once Notre Dame was on board and didn’t give much consideration to Arkansas’ plans. They probably had the $2 million buyout check cut before they even emailed Arkansas athletic director Jeff Long with the news.
The inconsiderate cancellation was disappointing for Arkansas, which was looking forward to a series with the longtime Big Ten power that has gotten its mojo back thanks to Jim Harbaugh taking over as head coach. But more than that, it left Long in an uncomfortable situation of trying to find an opponent in a relatively short amount of time. Many schools have their nonconference schedules booked for years in advance.
On various platforms, fans have chimed in on who they think the Razorbacks should play now that Michigan is out of the picture. Most schools mentioned are pipe dreams because of the schedules already in place.
However, there are other options, probably not many, that could come close to playing Michigan. One of those would be with fellow Big Ten member Iowa.
It would take some work but would be worth it. Think about Arkansas taking the field at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City to start the 2018 season. Iowa is, of course, Bret Bielema’s alma mater, and before longtime Iowa Coach Kirk Ferentz guided the Hawks to the Rose Bowl last year, there was talk that he may be let go and Bielema would be a target. Now, if some strings are pulled, Bielema could return to his alma mater in two years and match up with Ferentz.
While this matchup is intriguing and beneficial for both schools, it wouldn’t come without obstacles. Iowa is slated to play Northern Iowa, Iowa State and Northern Illinois in 2018. In 2019, Iowa has an opening with Miami (Ohio) and Iowa State, an annual rivalry opponent.
The first hurdle is that Iowa’s nonconference schedule is full in 2018. However, there is a viable solution. Arkansas could pay Iowa’s penalty for breaking the contract with Northern Illinois or UNI. Iowa would probably prefer to play its FCS in-state rival over the Huskies, so NIU could be the game removed with a check from Arkansas. Iowa fills its final spot in 2019 with a road game in Fayetteville, and the schedule is complete.
Another hurdle is the fact that the Big Ten begins playing a nine-game conference schedule this year, so most schools aren’t keen on playing two Power 5 Conference schools during the nonconference slate. While Iowa State is a big game for Iowa, the Cyclones are not like their Big 12 counterparts.
For a stretch of the 1980s and '90s, Iowa didn’t lose to ISU. The series became more competitive with the Cyclones winning 10 times the past 18 years, but that game shouldn’t deter Iowa from playing Arkansas, which is solid but doesn’t have the clout of SEC powers such as Alabama or LSU.
The game would garner national attention with two solid Power 5 schools opening the season and with Bielema’s ties to Iowa.
The boisterous coach would have plenty to say about that game, and Hawkeye fans would enjoy seeing him on the visiting sidelines he patrolled when he led Big Ten rival Wisconsin. So, a cool scenario that will need some work and cooperation.
There are other slim options available for a home-and-home series those years. If Arkansas bought-out Abilene Christian's contract with Baylor, it could fill a spot the Bears need in 2019. That would have been a very interesting matchup prior to the sexual assault scandal that rocked Waco late this spring that resulted in the termination of coach Art Briles.
Baylor most certainly won’t hold the same stature as it has recently, as it tries to recover from the aftermath of the scandal. But, the Bears are a regional foe and former Southwest Conference member, so there is that.
Other less attractive home-and-home options include BYU and Army, which are both independents. This would be a last resort, but would satisfy the SEC's scheduling requirements.
Long wants to make a splash. Independent teams - other than Notre Dame - don’t really do that.
Long has mentioned the possibility of neutral-site games in 2020 and beyond. The Hogs could move that time table up and play either Texas Tech - which they played in a home-and home series the past two years - or Oregon in 2018 when both teams need Power 5 opponents on the schedule.
If that happens, Arkansas may have to schedule another soft nonconference home game in 2019 and play a neutral-site game against, perhaps, Nebraska at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo. Long has mentioned Kansas City as a possible location for a game in 2020 and Nebraska needs a Power 5 opponent that year. That matchup would be attractive for both schools, with an easy drive for a bulk of their fan bases.
None of this will be easy, but Long has a knack for getting out of tough spots. Whether it’s the Hawkeyes or another opponent not listed here, Long should make fans to forget the Michigan snub.