Arkansas will pay Portland State $550,000

Arkansas coach Bret Bielema argues with an official during a game against Florida on Saturday, Nov. 5, 2016, in Fayetteville.
Arkansas coach Bret Bielema argues with an official during a game against Florida on Saturday, Nov. 5, 2016, in Fayetteville.

— Arkansas will pay Portland State a guarantee of $550,000 to open the 2019 football season, the Portland Tribune has reported, citing an unnamed source.

Arkansas firmed up the game in October with the Vikings, an FCS team in the Big Sky Conference that has never faced an SEC opponent. The game will be played on Aug. 31, 2019, in either Little Rock or Fayetteville based on terms of the contract, which was obtained through a records request by the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.

"You gotta love the challenge," Portland State Coach Bruce Barnum told the Tribune. "When I was coaching at Idaho State, we almost beat Kentucky. I believe we'd have been the first Big Sky team to beat an SEC team."

Arkansas paid $575,000 for its game against FCS Alcorn State this year. Payouts for future FCS games against Florida A&M next season and Missouri State in 2021 are not known.

The Razorbacks redact financial information from contracts, citing competitive advantage exemptions.

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