Arkansas at No. 16 Oklahoma State
Date: Saturday, September 7
Time: Noon ET
TV: ABC
In an under-the-radar game in Week 2, Arkansas travels to 16th-ranked Oklahoma State for an early kickoff in Stillwater.
Razorbacks head coach Sam Pittman is feeling the pressure after a 4-8 record last season. An upset win over the Cowboys would alleviate some of the tension in Fayetteville.
Oklahoma State returns several key pieces from a team that made the Big 12 Championship last year. With Texas and Oklahoma out of the Big 12, the Cowboys have their sights on a return to Arlington for the first Saturday in December, and they would love to make a statement against an SEC program.
The pick — Arkansas +7.5 (-105, FanDuel)
Expectations are low at Arkansas as its regular-season win total got bet down from 5.5 to 4.5 throughout the spring and summer. A big part of the bearishness on the Razorbacks is a conference schedule that starts with games against Auburn, Texas A&M, Tennessee and LSU. They also have to play Ole Miss, Texas and Missouri in November. All three teams are currently ranked in the top nine of the AP poll.
So if there is a time to bet on Arkansas, it would be early in the season when it is healthy and fresh before having to go through a gauntlet of a schedule in SEC play.
The Razorbacks’ big offseason move was to bring back former head coach Bobby Petrino as offensive coordinator. Some viewed the reunion as a backup plan to have an experienced coach ready to take over as the interim head coach if Pittman was let go. However, when Petrino can just focus on drawing up plays, he has proven to be a good OC.
Arkansas’ quarterback is Boise State transfer Taylen Green, who Petrino recruited when he was the head coach at Missouri State. Green was a solid starter at one of the best programs in the Mountain West, and I believe his play can translate well to the Power Four with Petrino calling plays for him.
As for the home team, I’m not as high on Oklahoma State. Running back Ollie Gordon is one of the key returnees for head coach Mike Gundy, but the Cowboys had some good fortune last year to get to a 9-3 record after early losses to South Alabama and Iowa State.
Expect Arkansas to have a very strong effort and Green to have enough success on offense for the Razorbacks to stay within the number at +7 or better.
Season record: 4-1, +2.96 units