Game time at AT&T Stadium next weekend set, but not TV yet

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — For many, seeing Arkansas’ game with Texas A&M next week set for 11 a.m., it’s welcome news while others like the later start, but it will be in the morning. The TV channel to watch will be announced next week that will be determined after the Razorbacks’ game with LSU and the Aggies’ matchup with Auburn.

If both teams win, probably the game will be be in front of a national audience on ESPN. A loss by either one will probably downgrade the game to the SEC Network. Whether anybody wants to admit it or not, every cable system in the country does not carry the SEC games’ channel while the the mother ship is a must-carry everywhere.

This game does likely mean the series at AT&T Stadium will come to a merciful end. Neither school really wants to go play the game in the home of the Dallas Cowboys and give up an opportunity to recruit the high school players they are trying to land.

When both schools were in different conferences, playing there early in the schedule made sense. When A&M moved to the SEC in 2012, they got the game moved to the home stadiums for a couple of years and the game was in College Station, during the whole COVID-19 mess.

Because stadium owner Jerry Jones owns the place, the Razorbacks are moving a little slow about making a big deal about it because the contract was extended to 2024 and that will, unless there’s a surprising development, likely be the end of it. That doesn’t mean Hunter Yurachek wouldn’t listen to any offers about one of these showcase type of early games against a non-conference team.