Arkansas Football: What to Expect in 2010

Like every year, I was plugging in all of the changes to the SEC football programs into my database. When I came to Arkansas, that task was easy as they have 18 returning starters. This gives a person some food for thought.

I looked at their 2010 schedule and noticed a much different picture than was the case for 2009. There are five easy wins on the Arkansas schedule for 2010, while the 2009 Arkansas schedule was grueling to say the least.

The first two games should be wins. The third is against Georgia, which will have the second most experienced offensive line in the SEC for 2010. They also have a great running game.

On the down side Georgia will be getting used to a new 3-4 defense and breaking in a new quarterback, but they will be a formidable opponent for the Hogs, and the fact that the game is in Athens does not help, either. 

Auburn and South Carolina are also difficult road games on the schedule. Alabama comes to Fayetteville in 2010 as does LSU. 

This is a huge difference from 2009. Arkansas could lose all of these and replicate the 2009 schedule, but the chances of losing all of these games is not high. Arkansas will likely win a couple of them and could win most of them.

For those mathematicians out there, this should add up to a chance for Arkansas to be in the running for the SEC West next season: They have a favorable schedule, are returning starters, have added experience and hope to find good breaks during the season.

While I am not going to predict that Arkansas will be in Atlanta to end the 2010 season, it is a bigger possibility in 2010 than it was in 2009.