FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas is ranked 23rd in the preseason USA Today Coaches Poll that was released Monday.
It is the first time the Razorbacks have been ranked in the preseason poll since 2015, when coaches ranked Arkansas No. 20 to open the season. The Razorbacks finished that season unranked following an 8-5 overall record, 5-3 record in SEC play and victory over Kansas State in the Liberty Bowl.
Arkansas will open the season against Cincinnati, which is ranked No. 22 by coaches. The season-opening game in Fayetteville will be one of three Week 1 matchups involving a pair of ranked teams in the coaches poll, along with No. 5 Notre Dame at No. 2 Ohio State, and No. 3 Georgia vs. No. 12 Oregon in Atlanta.
The Associated Press preseason poll will be released sometime later this month. The AP poll is the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette’s poll of record until the College Football Playoff rankings are released in late October.
Arkansas is one of six SEC teams ranked in the preseason coaches poll along with Alabama (1), Georgia, Texas A&M (7), Kentucky (21) and Ole Miss (24).
The Razorbacks are scheduled to play Texas A&M on Sept. 24 in Arlington, Texas. Arkansas is scheduled to host Alabama on Oct. 1 and Ole Miss on Nov. 19 in Fayetteville.
The SEC has the most teams in the preseason coaches poll, followed by the ACC (5), Big Ten (4), Big 12 (4), Pac-12 (3) and American (2). The coaches poll is voted on by 66 coaches in the Football Bowl Subdivision, including Arkansas’ Sam Pittman.
USA Today Coaches Poll, Aug. 8
1. Alabama
2. Ohio State
3. Georgia
4. Clemson
5. Notre Dame
6. Michigan
7. Texas A&M
8. Utah
9. Oklahoma
10. Baylor
11. Oklahoma State
12. Oregon
13. North Carolina State
14. Michigan State
15. Southern Cal
16. Pittsburgh
17. Miami
18. Texas
19. Wake Forest
20. Wisconsin
21. Kentucky
22. Cincinnati
23. Arkansas
24. Ole Miss
25. Houston