Arkansas Coach Would Prefer Razorbacks' Home Game Be In Fayetteville

No. 16 Arkansas is 3-0 at Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville this season, including a 40-21 upset of No. 15 Texas on Sept. 11.

The Razorbacks "host" No. 7 Texas A&M (3-0) at 2:30 p.m. Saturday on CBS, but the game will be at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, home of the Dallas Cowboys and 350 miles from Fayetteville.

That is part of a contract that Cowboys owner and mega Arkansas financial supporter Jerry Jones, a former Razorbacks player, arranged more than a decade ago. The contract has the Hogs and Aggies playing in Arlington every season through 2024.

The game last season, though, was moved to Texas A&M's Kyle Field because of scheduling changes due to COVID-19, and the Aggies won their ninth straight, 42-31.

Most are excited about the matchup this year, but many Razorbacks aren't thrilled with the venue.

"I don't feel great about it, to be honest with you," Arkansas coach Sam Pittman said Monday. "I get the situation. I understand last year, but going over there and then going neutral? But we're in a contract."

A boisterous crowd of 74,531 at Razorback Stadium helped Arkansas beat Texas. Fans stormed the field, and the goal posts came down. The Razorbacks beat Georgia Southern, 45-10, on Saturday after winning their home opener, 38-17, over Rice.

"I believe that if we're in this stadium, we're hard to beat because of our fans," Pittman said. "I feel very confident we can go in and play well at Dallas Cowboy Stadium. I do. But would I rather have them in here? Yes."

Arkansas' last win over the Aggies was 42-38 in 2011 in Arlington.

"They're ranked seventh for a reason," said Pittman, who was 3-7 in his first season as with Arkansas last year. "But we'll do our best to get prepared and go down there and see what happens."

The three games before last season were each decided by a touchdown or less, including a 24-17 win by the Aggies in A&M coach Jimbo Fisher's first season in 2018. Three games from 2014-17 featured overtime with the Aggies winning 50-43 in 2017, 28-21 in 2015 and 35-28 in 2014.

"We've had some battles," Fisher said. "There have been some great games come down to the wire. This game's a rivalry game, and they do a great job of getting up for it. This Arkansas team is playing very well. It is a very seasoned team. I mean, very seasoned. We're definitely going to have our hands full."