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Arkansas AD open to moving 2025 game vs Memphis football because of stadium construction

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Arkansas AD open to moving 2025 game vs Memphis football because of stadium construction


Arkansas athletic director Hunter Yurachek said Monday night that he would be open to moving next season’s Arkansas vs. Memphis football game to Fayetteville if Memphis officials are interested.

“I’d be open to looking at both of our schedules and potentially doing a swap of the dates of the game,” Yurachek said before an appearance at the Memphis Touchdown Club. “If it worked better for them to have the game that was played in Memphis in future years when the stadium is done, I’d be willing to look at moving that game to Fayetteville next year.”

The game is set for Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium on Sept. 20, 2025. It’s part of a two-for-one deal where the Tigers will travel to Fayetteville for games in 2026 and 2028. But the stadium is in the midst of a $220 million renovation that isn’t scheduled to be completed until after the 2025 season.

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That means the Arkansas-Memphis game is expected to take place at a limited-capacity stadium. This year’s capacity is 33,691, but that number could be higher by the time next season rolls around. Arkansas fans are expected to travel to the game, and there could be more demand than capacity.

“I just learned of that today,” Yurachek said. “It wasn’t on my mind that the stadium was under construction, that it’s still going to be under construction next season. That’s a two-for-one series, where there are two games in Fayetteville and one in Memphis, so that’s maybe an opportunity if there’s an interest for it to switch the dates of those games and play this game next year in Fayetteville and give Memphis the opportunity to host a game in a future year when their stadium is done.”

Still, Yurachek said he has not yet had any discussions with Memphis officials about the potential to move the game. Memphis has a new AD in Ed Scott, and while Yurachek said he knows Scott, they have not talked since Scott arrived in Memphis.

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“I just think regional games are a big deal and should be scheduled, and just make financial sense for both schools,” Yurachek said.

Memphis-Arkansas basketball game up to coaches

Memphis has long wanted to schedule men’s basketball games with Arkansas. The programs met last season in the Battle 4 Atlantis, but that was their first matchup in 20 years.

Memphis coach Penny Hardaway said in April that he was hopeful a regular-season game would happen, especially now that former Memphis coach John Calipari is at Arkansas. Yurachek said he leaves basketball scheduling up to the coaches, but said it would be a “great game.”

“Coach Cal handles his schedule, and I’m sure Coach Hardaway does as well,” Yurachek said. “I think that’d be a great game, and obviously there’s a tie-in with Coach Cal having been here at Memphis. I wouldn’t be surprised to see that game on the schedule in future years, but I’ve had no conversation with anybody at Memphis about that. That’s really Coach Cal’s deal.”

Reach sports writer Jonah Dylan at jonah.dylan@commercialappeal.com or on X @thejonahdylan

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Arkansas wide receiver transfer Ja’Kayden Ferguson commits to Kentucky

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Arkansas wide receiver transfer Ja’Kayden Ferguson commits to Kentucky


Kentucky had a need at wide receiver entering the only transfer portal window of the offseason. The Wildcats addressed the position again on Day 10. UK has added a second transfer to the room. This is a familiar name to those who follow recruiting.

Arkansas transfer Ja’Kayden Ferguson committed to the Wildcats after his visit to Lexington over the weekend. The wide receiver was a former UK commit who flipped to the Hogs during the 2025 recruiting cycle. Now Ferguson has flipped back to the Big Blue.

Ja’Kayden Ferguson was a three-star recruit out of Metro Houston who picked Kentucky following a June official visit ahead of the 2024 season. However, Ferguson decided to open up his recruitment five months later and flipped to Arkansas. The 6-foot-2 receiver appeared in six games for the Razorbacks as a true freshman and burned his redshirt. Ferguson played just 20 offensive snaps.

The SEC transfer becomes the eighth current full-time scholarship player in Kentucky’s current wide receivers room. Some more additions are expected.

Kentucky transfer commits

Player Position High School Former School Year
Olaus Alinen G/T (6-6, 322) Windson (Conn.) The Loomis Chaffee School Alabama Redshirt Junior
Jesse Anderson S (6-0, 180) Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) Cardinal Gibbons Pittsburgh Redshirt Junior
Max Anderson iOL (6-5, 311) Frisco (Texas) High Tennessee Redshirt Sophomore
Elijah “Bo” Barnes LB (6-1, 244) Dallas (Texas) Skyline Texas Redshirt Freshman
Jovantae Barnes RB (6-0, 211) Las Vegas (Nev.) Desert Pines Oklahoma Redshirt Senior
Ahmad Breaux iDL (6-3, 278) Ruston (La.) High LSU Junior
Jordan Castell S (6-2, 213) Winter Garden (Fla.) West Orange Florida Senior
Xavier Daisy WR (6-3, 210) Norcross (Ga.) Greater Atlanta Christian School UAB Junior
Ja’Kayden Ferguson WR (6-2, 187) Missouri City (Texas) Thurgood Marshall Arkansas Sophomore
Aaron Gates Nickel (6-0, 198) Jacksonville (Fla.) Trinity Christian Florida Redshirt Junior
Jamarrion Harkless iDL (6-3, 315) Lexington (Ky.) Frederick Douglass Purdue Redshirt Junior
Lance Heard T (6-6, 330) Monroe (La.) Neville LSU | Tennessee Senior
Mark Manfred III CB (6-1, 175) Marietta (Ga.) Sprayberry Missouri Redshirt Freshman
Kenny Minchey QB (6-2, 208) Hendersonville (Tenn.) Pope John Paul II Notre Dame Redshirt Junior
Antonio O’Berry EDGE (6-6, 240) Huber Heights (Ohio) Wayne Tiffin (D-II) | Gardner-Webb 6th-Year Senior
Coleton Price iOL (6-3, 318) Bowie (Texas) High Baylor Redshirt Senior
Spencer Radnoti LS (6-3, 230) Canton (Ga.) Cherokee Georgia State Redshirt Sophomore
Cyrus Reyes S (6-1, 200) Taylor (Texas) High Mississippi State Junior
Hasaan Sykes CB (6-0, 185) Tuckert (Ga.) High Western Carolina Junior
Tavion Wallace LB (6-1, 239) Baxley (Ga.) Appling County Arkansas Sophomore
Dominic Wiseman iDL (6-2, 300) Davenport (Iowa) High South Alabama Redshirt Senior
Adam Zouagui K (5-11, 188) Herndon (Va.) High Davidson | South Florida Senior





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No. 20 Lady Vols Basketball vs. Arkansas: How to Watch, Prediction, More | Rocky Top Insider

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No. 20 Lady Vols Basketball vs. Arkansas: How to Watch, Prediction, More | Rocky Top Insider


KNOXVILLE, TN – January 16, 2025 – “We Back Pat” on jersey during the game between the Mississippi State Bulldogs and the Tennessee Lady Volunteers at Food City Center in Knoxville, TN. Photo By Kate Luffman/Tennessee Athletics

Lady Vols basketball is back in Knoxville for a matchup with Arkansas after a two-game road stand. Tennessee is not only looking to stay perfect in SEC play, but is hosting its annual ‘We Back Pat’ game.

Here’s everything to know about the matchup, from broadcast details to a prediction.

More From RTI: Everything Lady Vols HC Kim Caldwell, PG Mia Pauldo Said After Road Win At Mississippi State

How to Watch — No. 20 Lady Vols (11-3, 3-0 SEC) vs. Arkansas (11-7, 0-3 SEC)

  • Start Time: 2 p.m. ET/1 p.m. CT
  • Location: Food City Center (Knoxville, Tenn.)
  • Watch: SECN+ | PxP: Andy Brock, Analyst: Kamera Harris
  • Online Streaming: Watch ESPN
  • Radio (Knoxville): The Vol Network/The Vol Network App
  • Vol Network radio crew: PxP: Brian Rice, Studio Host: Jay Lifford

 

Betting Odds

None listed yet

 

ESPN Matchup Predictor

Lady Vols – 98.3%

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Arkansas – 1.7%

 

What Kim Caldwell Said After Mississippi State

“Good to get a win on the road. We know it’s a tough environment and we know that we got to win on the road in the SEC. It was good to do that. I wasn’t really proud of the rebounding, but I thought we looked a lot better in a couple different categories so that was good.”

 

Last Five Games

Lady Vols: 

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  • at Mississippi State, 90-90 W
  • at Auburn, 73-56 W
  • vs. Florida, 76-65 W
  • vs. Southern Indiana, 89-44 W
  • vs. Louisville (Brooklyn), 89-65 L

 

Arkansas:

  • vs. South Carolina, 93-58 L
  • at Alabama, 77-48 L
  • vs. Vanderbilt, 88-71 L
  • vs. Arkansas State, 81-72 L
  • vs. Stephen F. Austin, 82-73 W

 

Where They Land In Rankings

Lady Vols: 

AP Poll – No. 20

Coaches Poll – No. 22

Bart Torvik – No. 13

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Arkansas:

AP Poll – Unranked

Coaches Poll – Unranked

Bart Torvik – No. 107

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Stat Leaders

Lady Vols:

  • Points: Talaysia Cooper – 14.9
  • Rebounds: Zee Spearman – 7.3
  • Assists: Talaysia Cooper – 4.3

 

Arkansas: 

  • Points: Taleyah Jones – 16.9
  • Rebounds: Bonnie Deas – 9.7
  • Assists: Bonnie Deas – 2.6

 

Prediction

It’s been a rough start for Arkansas’ new coach, Kelsi Musick. The team is 0-3 in SEC games, and though it’s been against three good teams, the Razorbacks haven’t been competitive in any.

While neither side has been strong, Arkansas’ defense has been the weakest point. Not only is it coming off a game in which it gave up 93 points to South Carolina, but Arkansas State hung 81 in its win over the Razorbacks on the road.

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If the Lady Vols don’t get in their own way, then they should be fine. It hasn’t been perfect, and against three teams not necessarily in the mix to win the league, but Tennessee has looked much improved in the SEC slate compared to the lumps it took in the out-of-conference schedule.

I’d think UT jumps on Arkansas in the first quarter and takes a comfortable lead into the second quarter. From there, the lead should continue to grow behind forced turnovers in the press and easy baskets on the other end.

Lady Vols 85, Arkansas 61



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Arkansas State defeats Texas State 83-82

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Arkansas State defeats Texas State 83-82





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