LOOK: Arkansas circles special date for Bobby Petrino’s return to Fayetteville
When Arkansas takes on Missouri State this coming season, Bobby Petrino will make his return to Fayetteville. The game is on a very special day, too.
That game is set for Sept. 17 — which happens to be Family Weekend. What a day for Petrino to return to DWRRS.
Petrino coached the Razorbacks from 2008-11 and had a 34-17 record during that span, including a 17-15 record in SEC play. However, he was fired in April 2012 after a motorcycle accident involving Petrino and passenger Jessica Dorrell, a former All-SEC volleyball player he hired as a student-athlete development coordinator. Petrino admitted to having a relationship with her and didn’t disclose it with the university.
Arkansas fired Petrino for cause and then-athletic director Jeff Long said the coach “engaged in a pattern of misleading and manipulative behavior” while in Fayetteville.
After leaving the Razorbacks, Petrino coached at Western Kentucky for a year in 2013 before heading back to Louisville from 2014-18. Missouri State hired him in 2020 and he just wrapped up his second season with the Bears.
More on Arkansas’ 2022 schedule
The Razorbacks open their 2022 season on Sept. 3 at home against Cincinnati before another home matchup with South Carolina on Sept. 10. Arkansas takes on Missouri State Sept. 17 and then has its first road game against Texas A&M on Sept. 24. Alabama comes up next on Oct. 1 and a matchup with Mississippi State comes Oct. 8.
After a break from SEC play against BYU on Oct. 15, the Razorbacks have a bye week before taking on Auburn Oct. 29. For the homecoming game at DWRSS, Arkansas has Liberty on Nov. 5 before wrapping up SEC play. The Razorbacks will take on LSU on Nov. 12 and Ole Miss on Nov. 19 to round out the home schedule, then wrap up the regular season on Nov. 26 at Mizzou.
Arkansas is coming off a 9-4 campaign in 2021, including a 4-4 SEC record. The Razorbacks competed in the Outback Bowl on Jan. 1, defeating Penn State 24-10 in the matchup.