Arkansas
Arkansas high school football Top 25 rankings (9/10/2024)
After a solid opening week, we had more exciting games Week 1.
The Top 10 showdown between Conway and Bentonville turned out to be uneventful this time as the Wampus Cats blew out the Tigers. They dropped a spot. Harding Academy was the only team to leave the Top 10 after losing handily to Marion, but the successful new 5A program didn’t drop far.
Fort Smith Southside moved to No. 10 and Marion is just outside, moving up a handful of notches after the win over the Wildcats.
Jonesboro is the first team to drop out of the Top 25 after losses to Conway and Joe T. Robinson.
Below are this week’s SBLive/SI Arkansas Top 25 football rankings.
TOP 25 ARKANSAS FOOTBALL RANKINGS
1. Little Rock Parkview (2-0)
In the closest first half they’ve played in a while, the Patriots were only up 9-0 at halftime and carried that lead for a portion of the third quarter. However, Parkview forced turnovers and a short field to fuel a 51-6 rout. Monterrio Elston scored twice and accumulated more than 130 yards of offense. Parkview plays its first home game of the young season Friday as they entertain No. 3 Bryant at Little Rock’s War Memorial Stadium. This game has been anticipated for a year after the Patriots beat Bryant to snap its 54-game winning streak last fall.
2. Fayetteville (2-0)
The Bulldogs hung on against Tulsa, Okla.-area school Broken Arrow, 30-23. FHS plays its first home game against Texas (Texarkana) High Friday night.
3. Bryant (2-0)
After trailing to Benton in the Salt Bowl in the third quarter, the Hornets made quick work of one of Missouri’s top big-school teams in Christian Brothers College. The Hornets led 21-0 in the first quarter and 28-0 in the second quarter before rolling 42-20. BHS senior QB Jordan Walker, a Ouachita Baptist commit, had another solid game. The Hornets head back to War Memorial Stadium, the site of the Salt Bowl opener, to play explosive No. 1 Little Rock Parkview.
4. Greenwood (2-0)
The Bulldogs smacked yet another 7A-West foe and will try to make it a triple at home Friday night against Springdale Har-Ber. The Bulldogs ran by Bentonville West 70-35 and took down Fort Smith Northside 56-0 last week. Har-Ber gave up 50 points to winless Class 5A Farmington last week and travels to Greenwood to face its explsosive offense.
5. Conway (2-0)
In what was supposed to be a 7A showdown, the Wampus Cats rolled over Betonville, 55-21. CHS transfer QB Grayson Wilson, a University of Arkansas commit, passed for 328 yards, four touchdowns and an interception. The Wampus Cats welcome 6A contender Marion Friday night.
6. Pulaski Academy (2-0)
For the second straight season, the Bruins knocked off Mississippi private-school power Madison Ridgeland Academy. PA, who routed MRA 60-36, plays host to West Monroe, La (1-1), Friday night.
7. Bentonville (0-2)
The Tigers were blitzed by Conway on the road after losing a tight overtime decision to Tulsa Union in Oklahoma the week before. Bentonville will have a week to recover, finishing the nonconference slate next week at Lee’s Summit North in the Kansas City, Mo., metro area.
8. Benton (0-1)
After a 52-42 loss to Bryant, the Panthers look to rebound against a struggling 7A North Little Rock program. Benton had the bye week to eliminate mistakes after committing seven turnovers in the opener.
9. Shiloh Christian (2-0)
The Saints invaded west Little Rock for the second year in a row and knocked off Little Rock Christian. The Saints escaped with a 44-40 win. Receiver Chandler Kemp scored on a TD catch with two minutes to go to take the lead for good. The Saints look to avenge a 20-14 loss to Lincoln Christian last year on the road this week. It is Shiloh’s final game before it opens the conference season against Greenwood.
10. Fort Smith Southside (1-0)
The Mavericks were off last week after a 34-27 win against city rival Northside in the opener. Rounding out the nonconference slate with 7A-Central doormats Little Rock Central and Little Rock Southwest in back-to-back weeks, Southside will be heavily favored.
11. Marion (2-0)
The Patriots beat 5A-East members Wynne and Harding Academy in back-to-back weeks. The 37-7 victory over the Wildcats was impressive since they are expected to contend for a 5A state title. However, Marion will step up its competition this week playing at No. 5 Conway. This game will be a good barometer at how good the Patriots are as Conway has started the season strong with blowout of Bentonville.
12. Harding Academy (0-1)
Some were surprised by the Wildcats’ 37-7 loss to Marion in its opener, even though Marion is a 6A program. That is how much respect the Wildcats command. Harding will be a heavy favorite against Class 4A Central Arkansas Christian this week before traveling to 6A juggernaut Benton to round out nonconference play.
13. Little Rock Christian (1-1)
LRCA nearly pulled out the win over Shiloh, giving up the passing TD late. The Warriors will have to wait until next week to get the taste out of their mouth as they play West Memphis.
14. Cabot (1-1)
The Panthers came back to knock off Bentonville West, 44-38 in overtime, after being blowing out by Fayetteville in the opener at home. Running back Keegan Vest scored the game-winning TD after the Panthers ran the ball three straight times in OT. The Panthers hit the road again to play Ruston, La., this Friday.
15. Bentonville West (0-2)
The season has been a rough one for the Wolverines so far. In the opener, they gave up 70 points in a home loss to Greenwood, and then gave up a late lead to Cabot and lost in overtime. It doesn’t get easier this week as West travels to play Muskogee, Okla., to play the defending 6A Division II Oklahoma state champions. The Roughers (2-0) edged the Wolverines’ 7A-West rival Rogers, 33-28 last Friday.
16. Mountain Home (2-0)
The Bombers dominated Class 5A Harrison, 30-14, in their annual rivalry game. They should be 3-0 after this week hosting Rolla, Missouri. Bombers’ head coach Steve Ary has improved the Mountain Home program and that means being competitive in the nonconference slate.
17. Lake Hamilton (1-1)
The Sting of a 39-34 loss to cross-town rival Hot Springs Lakeside was softened by a 49-0 blowout of Little Rock Southwest. A game at Class 4A power Arkadelphia awaits this week before a bye week and the 6A-West Conference slate.
18. Catholic (1-0)
The Rockets were off last week and try to move to 2-0 against undefeated Nolan (Texas) Catholic Saturday. The two parochial schools meet as a part of Catholic Bowl IV, which features tripleheader including six Catholic Schools. Games are being played at The Ford Center – the Dallas Cowboys practice facility in Frisco. This game is a rematch of the inaugural game in which the Rockets won, 36-34.
19. Joe T. Robinson (1-1)
The Senators opened the season with a road loss to Pulaski Academy Week 0 but recorded a big win at Class 6A Jonesboro last week. On Friday, they play Hot Springs Lakeside in one of the premier matchups of the week.
20. Valley View (2-0)
The Blazers are off to a fast start with wins over Poplar Bluff (Mo.) and Searcy, respectively. Senior Drew Gartman, who slid over to QB from receiver, ran for four touchdowns and passed for two against the Lions. The wins should continue as struggling West Memphis is next.
21. Hot Springs Lakeside (2-0)
The Rams burst into the rankings after taking care of county rival Lake Hamilton Week 0, and then hammering Sheridan and new head coach Kevin Kelley last week. The Rams travel to Pulaski County to take on Joe T. Robinson in a battle of ranked teams and two 5A programs poised for deep playoff runs.
22. Maumelle (1-1)
The Hornets played with Parkview for more than a half. The defense held Parkview to three field goals, but then the Patriots enjoyed a couple of short-field drives and blew it open 51-6. Maumelle looks to get back on the winning track at Vilonia.
23. Pine Bluff (0-2)
The Z’s have one of the tougher schedules in the state with playing Oklahoma City (Okla.) Millwood (14-0 loss) in the Dallas area Week 0, and then losing to Dallas Kimball, 35-6. Pine Bluff entertains Camden Fairview this week seeking its first win.
24. Warren (1-1)
Lumberjacks QB Jackson Denton was injured in a loss to Greenbrier, but it didn’t slow Warren down last week in a 46-14 win over White Hall. Cam Burks subbed in for the sophomore and passed for 191 yards and four TDs. Warren plays Elkins at Arkansas Tech in Russellville Friday night. It’s a potential state-championship game preview.
25. Prescott (2-0)
The Curley Wolves outlasted fellow Class 3A power Salem, 31-22, at Hendrix College in Conway. The Curley Wolves have this week off before playing area rival Hope next week.
Arkansas
Hogs Shut Out Trojans in Midweek Win
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Six Razorback pitchers combined to shut out in-state opponent Little Rock (19-14) and lead No. 22 Arkansas (21-13) to a 7-0 win Tuesday night at Baum-Walker Stadium. With the triumph, the Hogs improved to 7-2 in midweek games this season and 31-7 overall against in-state foes, including an 8-2 mark against Little Rock, since 1947.
Making his first start of the season on the mound, Tate McGuire opened Tuesday night’s contest with three shutout frames for Arkansas. The right-hander struck out one while working around two hits and a walk before turning the game over to the bullpen, which combined for six scoreless innings with six strikeouts to secure the Razorbacks’ midweek win.
Parker Coil (1.0 IP, 2 SO), Steele Eaves (2.0 IP), Gabe Gaeckle (1.0 IP, 1 SO), Cooper Dossett (1.0 IP, 1 SO) and Ethan McElvain (1.0 IP, 2 SO) worked together in relief of McGuire to lock down Arkansas’ fourth shutout of the campaign.
The Trojans held the Razorback offense both scoreless and hitless until the bottom of the fifth. After TJ Pompey and Reese Robinett reached safely to lead off the inning and advanced on a double steal, Ryder Helfrick stepped up to the plate with one out and delivered the go-ahead sacrifice fly to left field, giving Arkansas its first run of the night.
A five-spot in the bottom half of the sixth inning broke the game open for the Hogs. Arkansas loaded the bases with no outs for Robinett, who ripped a bases-clearing double down the right field line to extend the advantage to 4-0.
Later in the inning, Helfrick collected his second RBI of the game with a two-out double to right center and advanced to third on a fielding error in the outfield. The Razorbacks’ star catcher would score on a wild pitch to grow the lead to six.
Zack Stewart tacked on the seventh and final run in the seventh inning, cranking his sixth home run of the season and 50th of his career to left center to give Arkansas a commanding seven-run cushion. The Hogs finished with just four hits, including a pair of doubles and a home run, but capitalized on seven walks, two hit batsmen and three stolen bases.
Up next, the Razorbacks will hit the road for their second consecutive SEC weekend series away from the friendly confines of Baum-Walker Stadium. First pitch in the series opener between No. 22 Arkansas and No. 8 Alabama is scheduled for 6 p.m. Friday, April 10, on SEC Network+ from inside Sewell–Thomas Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Ala.
For complete coverage of Arkansas baseball, follow the Hogs on Twitter (@RazorbackBSB), Instagram (@RazorbackBSB) and Facebook (Arkansas Razorback Baseball).
Arkansas
Drug Take Back Day returns to Arkansas this month; promotes safe drug disposal
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KATV) — Arkansas law enforcement agencies are hosting their 16th-annual Drug Take Back Day this month.
The event is designed so that Arkansans can safely and anonymously dispose of any expired, unused or unwanted medications. Officials say they want to prevent opioid misuse, reduce accidental poisonings, protect waterways from contamination and keep communities safe.
Its set to take place on Saturday, April 25.
“Arkansas Drug Take Back Day continues to bring communities together in the fight against substance misuse, and we’re proud to play such a vital part in it,” said Kirk Lane, director of the Arkansas Opioid Recovery Partnership (ARORP). “We invite Arkansans to take a few minutes to clean out their medicine cabinets, drop off unneeded prescriptions and protect their families and neighbors.”
Arkansans destroyed 26,500 pounds of medication during the fall 2025 Drug Take Back Day. Since 2010, over 342 tons have been destroyed.
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Arkansas
Way-Too-Early Top 25: Ranking College Basketball’s Best for 2026-27
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — With the transfer portal reshaping rosters overnight and elite freshmen arriving every summer, projecting the next college basketball season has become an exercise in controlled chaos.
Still, a handful of programs have positioned themselves early as national title contenders through roster continuity, program consistency and coaching stability.
Arkansas will once again be in the mix, but its true preseason forecast will come once the portal is mostly wrapped up. Coach John Calipari knows what type of player he needs to add for his team to advance past the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 and probably won’t sleep a whole lot until he signs at least one major contributor in the paint.
No. 1 seed Michigan had a stellar run in its second season under coach Dusty May, who competes for a national championship against No. 2 seed UConn Monday night. He goes up against two-time championship coach Dan Hurley, who is looking to join elite company by winning his third trophy with the Huskies.
Which teams are best equipped already for next season? Here’s an early look at who can make a run in 2026-27.
1. Michigan
The Wolverines absolutely make sense regardless of if they win a national title Monday night. May added a commitment from 5-star guard Brandon McCoy Saturday who projects to be a lead guard at the next level.
Key big man Yaxel Lendeborg will be a huge loss after being a critical piece to Michigan’s championship game run. Power forward Morez Johnson should return after averaging over 13 points and seven rebounds per game.
Another likely returnee is Trey McKenney, who played well as a freshman averaging 11 points and 44% shooting in the month of March.
1B. UConn
Whether Hurley’s bid for a third title falls short, his brilliant coaching in the NCAA Tournament is worth keeping the Huskies near the top of all college basketball rankings.
Veterans such as Alex Karaban and Tarris Reed are seeing their eligibility expire while freshman Braylon Mullins could opt to enter the NBA Draft.
Veteran guard Silas Demary has been a nice addition from Georgia out of the portal this season and will likely return as the Huskies’ starting point guard.
3. Duke
The Blue Devils are set to lose the Boozer twins, but have signed capable replacements in true freshmen Cameron Williams and Deron Rippey, Jr.
Coach Jon Scheyer’s group will continue to run the ACC until anyone else decides to be up for the challenge. If he can find a way to keep Patrick Ngongba around for next season as his key big man, then there’s no reason to count out Duke as national title favorites once again.
4. Michigan State
No one will ever doubt coach Tom Izzo’s ability to assemble a championship contender and he did just that with Coen Carr, Jeremy Fears and company this season.
With a top high school recruiting class and a couple of key portal additions on the perimeter, the Spartans will be Big Ten title contenders and earn a Top 4 NCAA Tournament seed.
5. Illinois
Coach Brad Underwood has made the Fightin’ Illini a raging success and nearly led his team to the promised land this season.
He discovered freshman wing Keaton Wagler before anyone else, and became a household name and potential lottery pick after arriving to school as aTop 150 prospect.
Lightning might not strike twice next year, but he’ll probably have another solid team built for a deep NCAA Tournament run. Sharpshooter Andrej Stojakovic and forward David Mirkovic are both expected to return after playing key roles in Illinois’ first Final Four run in two decades.
6. Arizona
The Wildcats were no match for Michigan in the Final Four and are likely going to lose key freshmen Koa Peat and Brayden Burries to the NBA Draft. Keeping veteran big man Mo Krivas and key wing Ivan Kharchenkov in the rotation is key.
Adding McDonald’s All-American MVP Caleb Holt won’t hurt either as the next great freshman for the Wildcats.
7. Arkansas
Coach John Calipari knows his biggest assignment will be adding a big man or two to round out his rotation. He has a three 5-star freshmen in Jordan Smith, Jr. (No. 2 ranked prospect, JJ Andrews and Abdou Toure coming in with potential key returnee Billy Richmond to potentially lockdown the perimeter.
Arkansas fans are hungry to see their team get back to the Final Four and have been inching closer each of the previous five seasons.
8. Purdue
The Boilermakers are set to lose All-American guard Braden Smith, Fletcher Loyer and Trey Kaufman-Renn which will be hard to come back from for any team.
However, Matt Painter continues to reload with guys who often fly under the radar or lesser known on the recruiting trail out of high school. His next team may not be as talented, or veteran laden but should be fixtures in the Big Ten no matter what the offseason brings.
9. St. John’s
The Red Storm will find it tough to replace versatile big man Zury Ejifor, but if anyone can do so it’s hall of fame coach Rick Pitino. His team has been close to breaking into national title contention over the previous two seasons.
Pitino’s combination of Ian Jackson, Dylan Darling and Ruben Prey can give St. John’s a boost next season.
10. Alabama
Nate Oats has the Crimson Tide at a level never before seen in Tuscaloosa with at least a Sweet 16 or better finish in each of the previous four seasons.
Star guard Labaron Philon is probably headed to the league as a mid-first round prospect which leaves a gaping hole in Alabama’s rotation for next season.
Top 20 freshman guard Qadyden Samuels is potentially a solid replacement with a complete offensive skillset as a three-level scorer. If his length translates well to college, he can be an exceptional perimeter defender.
Oats will need to find a way to keep key big men such as Amari Allen and Aiden Sherrell around or pick up a couple out of the transfer portal to stay near the top of the SEC.
11. Iowa State
The Cyclones were on the verge of a breakthrough before falling short in the Sweet 16. Losing All-American Joshua Jefferson early in the tournament sidelined any hopes of coach T.J. Otzelberger leading his team to its first Final Four since 1944.
Iowa State will probably make a strong run in the portal to replace other key contributors. But one thing is sure that this program has staying power on the national scene.
12. Kansas
Each passing year it seems that the biggest question is whether or not coach Bill Self will return for another year.
He is, at least this year, but even with his exceptional recruiting skills and a deep portal budget, it seems like a slight nosedive has taken place since winning the national title in 2022.
Star freshman Darryn Peterson’s one-and-done stay in Lawrence certainly didn’t live up to the hype. Big man Flory Bidunga is currently evaluating his options, which shouldn’t give anyone a reason to rank the Jayhawks higher.
13. Iowa Hawkeyes
14. Gonzaga Bulldogs
15. Florida Gators
16. North Carolina Tar Heels
17. Louisville Cardinals
18. Wisconsin Badgers
19. Nebraska Cornhuskers
20. Houston Cougars
21. Providence Friars
22. St. Louis Billekins
23. Texas Longhorns
24. Auburn Tigers
25. LSU Tigers
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