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It’s Outback Bowl for Hogs against Penn State on New Year’s

The Hogs will head to Florida to play Penn State in the Outback Bowl on New Year’s morning.

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Arkansas heads to Florida for a bowl game for the first time since 2007 when the Hogs play Penn State in the Outback Bowl at 11 a.m. on Jan. 1, 2022.

Under second-year coach Sam Pittman, the Razorbacks won eight games during the regular season, the most regular season wins for the program since 2011.

The Hogs’ four non-conference wins marked the first time to go undefeated outside of league play since 2016 while the team’s 4-4 mark in Southeastern Conference action were the most league wins since 2015.

Arkansas’ third place finish in the SEC West is also the best for the Razorbacks since 2015. The Hogs scored wins over four teams headed to bowl games in the postseason and are one of a record 13 SEC schools in the postseason.

When the Razorbacks take the field inside Raymond James Stadium (home of the NFL’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers) in Tampa, it will mark the first time since the Belk Bowl on Dec. 29, 2016 Arkansas has played in a bowl game.

The Hogs will be playing in their first New Year’s Day game since the 2008 Cotton Bowl. Pittman led Arkansas to a bowl berth last year during the COVID-19 pandemic before the team’s Texas Bowl matchup with TCU was canceled due to COVID issues within the Horned Frogs program.

The Razorbacks and Penn State will meet for the first time.

The Nittany Lions finished 7-5, including a 4-5 mark in Big Ten play.

Nittany Lions coach James Franklin is familiar with the SEC having coached at Vanderbilt 2011-13.

Arkansas beat Franklin’s Commodores, 31-28, in Nashville in the lone meeting between the Razorbacks and Franklin. Offensively, Penn State is led by wide receiver Jahan Dotson who caught 91 passes for 1,182 and 12 touchdowns.

Quarterback Sean Clifford passed for 2,912 yards and 20 touchdowns despite battling injuries throughout the season. On the defensive side of the ball, linebacker Ellis Brooks recorded 100 tackles to pace the squad and defensive end Arnold Ebiketie posted a team-best 9.5 sacks.

Arkansas is 0-4 against the Big Ten all time in bowl games dating back to the 1999 Citrus Bowl, one of seven previous Florida bowls to host the Hogs.

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2024 Razorbacks Football

Thu, Aug 29vs UAPB (Little Rock)W, 70-0
Sat, Sep 7@ Oklahoma StateL, 31-39 2OT
Sat, Sep 14vs UABW, 37-27
Sat, Sep 21@ AuburnW, 24-14
Sat, Sep 28vs Texas A&M (Arl)L, 21-17
Sat, Oct 5vs TennesseeW, 19-14
Sat, Oct 19vs LSUL, 34-10
Sat, Oct 26@ Mississippi StateW, 58-25
Sat, Nov 2vs Ole MissL, 63-31
Sat, Nov 16vs Texas11:00 AM
Sat, Nov 23vs Louisiana TechTBD
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Sat, Nov 30@ MissouriTBD
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2024 High School Rankings

Following is the Arkansas Sports Media High School Football Poll including the Overall Top 10, the top five in Classes 7A, 6A, 5A, 4A, 3A and 2A, plus the top three in the 8-man division, as voted by a panel of sports media from around the state for the week ending August 24. Ranking is given with first-place votes received, records, total points and ranking from last week's poll:
OVERALLRecordPtsPrv
1.Bryant (19)9-02711
2.Conway (7)9-02522
3.Greenwood (2)9-02213
4.Little Rock Parkview8-11804
5.Bentonville6-31575
6.Benton8-11386
7.Fayetteville7-21057
8.Pulaski Academy7-2978
9.Rogers6-3389
10.Mountain Home8-129
Others receiving votes: Joe T Robinson 12, Elkins 7, LR Catholic 7, Shiloh Christian 7, Valley View 7, Cabot 6, Marion 4, LR Christian 1.
CLASS 7A
1.Bryant (21)9-01331
2.Conway (7)9-01192
3.Bentonville6-3783
4.Fayetteville7-2504
5.Pulaski Academy7-2335
Others receiving votes: Rogers 7.
CLASS 6A
1.Greenwood (28)9-01401
2.Benton8-11122
3.Mountain Home8-1775
4.Shiloh Christian6-3353
5.Little Rock Catholic8-128
Others receiving votes: Marion 24.
CLASS 5A
1.Little Rock Parkview (27)8-11391
2.Joe T. Robinson8-11022
3.Valley View (1)9-0943
4.Farmington8-1435
5.Hot Springs Lakeside7-2214
Others receiving votes: Camden Fairview 8, Harding Academy 8, Morrilton 3, Vilonia 1.
CLASS 4A
1.Elkins (18)9-01291
2.Little Rock Mills (4)9-0753
3.Arkadelphia (3)7-2712
4.Warren7-2594
5.Malvern (3)9-0485
Others receiving votes: Dardanelle 18, Southside Batesville 13, Mena 6, Highland 1.
CLASS 3A
1.Bismarck (11)9-01081
Fordyce (11)9-01082
3.Osceola (3)7-1654
4.Prescott (2)8-1603
5.Booneville (1)8-1275
Others receiving votes: Mansfield 20, Rivercrest 20, Charleston 4, Rison 9, Mayflower 3.
CLASS 2A
1.Carlisle (24)9-01351
2.Conway Christian (3)9-01102
3.Bigelow (1)7-2724
4.Murfreesboro7-2535
5.Des Arc7-2283
Others receiving votes: East Poinsett County 8, Marked Tree 4, Cross County 3, Poyen 3, Junction City 2, Mount Ida 2.
8-MAN SANCTIONED
1.Strong-Huttig (27)5-0831
2.Midland (1)8-0542
3.Cedar Ridge8-1273
Others receiving votes: Woodlawn 4.

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ESPN ARKANSAS 99.5 IN FAYETTEVILLE, 95.3 IN THE RIVER VALLEY, 96.3 IN HOT SPRINGS, 104.3 IN HARRISON-MOUNTAIN HOME.