Arkansas, Memphis move 2026 non-conference game to 2030

Scheduling decisions from the SEC means athletic directors across the conference have tough decisions to make. Schools will have to cut a game from future schedules due to the new nine-game slate from the SEC. Hunter Yurachek at Arkansas is one of them, making a big announcement on the matter Thursday.

Arkansas was scheduled to face Memphis next season in Fayetteville for the first time in the two program’s history. Previous matchups have taken place in Memphis or Little Rock. But due to new SEC rules, the game has been pushed back by four years to 2030.

If there is any good news for Memphis fans, they will not have to wait all the way until a new decade to check out Donald W. Reyonalds Razorback Stadium. There is still a matchup on the calendar for 2028, three seasons away from now.

“We know our fans were excited for next season’ trip to Fayetteville, but with the SEC’s new scheduling model, that game is now set for 2030,” Memphis AD Ed Scott said in a statement. “Our goal remains to play all three games in the series with Arkansas. We’re working to secure an opponent that aligns with the gaols of Memphis football and provides a first-class experience for our fans.”

North Alabama and Tulsa now make up the home nonconfernece schedule for Arkansas. A big-time road game against Utah should excite Razorback fans, given that there has never been a head-to-head contest between the two schools.

To this point, there is no word on which nine SEC opponents Arkansas will face in 2026. Commissioner Greg Sankey is still working on putting together the list. He hopes to have something out there before the New Year.

“We anticipate presenting the 2026 football schedule mid-season to our schools,” Sankey said. “We think that December announcement date has worked great. … We’ll continue to look at that December for the full release. But a lot of work to be done between now and then.

“There’s been a lot of pre-work. We have had great work among our staff. … We’ll be rapid, but remember, when we went in Destin two years ago, we took a couple more weeks and we had that mid-June announcement of opponents. And then, we had a later announcement of the schedule. So we want to create opportunities for interest and celebration, and we’ll do much the same in the weeks and months ahead.”