FAYETTEVILLE — For the first time in 10 years — and the first time ever on campus — the Arkansas Razorbacks will host top-10 football opponents in consecutive games.
LSU will bring the No. 8 ranking in The Associated Press Top 25 poll when the Tigers play at Reynolds Razorback Stadium on Saturday. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. and the game will be televised by ESPN.
Arkansas (4-2, 2-1 SEC) upset then-No. 4 Tennessee 19-14 on Oct. 5. The Razorbacks enter the LSU game coming off of an open week.
LSU (5-1, 2-0) moved up five places in the AP poll Sunday following its 29-26 victory over then-No. 9 Ole Miss in overtime.
Playing back-to-back games against teams in the top 10 is rare for the Razorbacks, and even rarer when it happens at home. This will be only the third instance of consecutive top-10 games in the state of Arkansas, counting games at Reynolds Razorback Stadium or War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock.
In October 2014, Arkansas lost 14-13 to No. 7 Alabama in Fayetteville and 45-32 to No. 10 Georgia in Little Rock in back-to-back weeks. That was part of a three-game stretch against top-10 opponents, beginning with a 35-28 loss to No. 6 Texas A&M in Arlington, Texas.
In October 1979, Arkansas defeated No. 2 Texas 17-14 in Little Rock and lost to No. 6 Houston 13-10 in Fayetteville the following week.
The Razorbacks last played consecutive top-10 opponents in 2021 when they defeated No. 7 Texas A&M 20-10 in Arlington and lost 37-0 the following week at No. 2 Georgia. In 16 previous instances of playing back-to-back games against top-10 teams, the Razorbacks have never won both games, as they will have a chance to do against the Tigers this week.
LSU is among eight ranked teams in the latest AP poll, which is led by No. 1 Texas for the second week in a row. Also ranked is Georgia (5), Alabama (7), LSU, Tennessee (11), Texas A&M (14), Ole Miss (18) and Missouri (19).
There will be two high-profile matchups in the league this week — Georgia at Texas and Alabama at Tennessee.
Vanderbilt, which has won back-to-back games over Alabama and Kentucky, has the most vote points for any team that is not ranked in the poll. The Commodores were edged by undefeated Navy for the final spot in the poll.
Arkansas is receiving votes in the poll for the second week in a row. The Razorbacks had the 34th-most points this week, or ninth among unranked teams.
The Big Ten has six ranked teams, including Nos. 2, 3, 4 — Oregon, Penn State and Ohio State.
AP Top 25 Football Poll, Oct. 13
1. Texas (6-0)
2. Oregon (6-0)
3. Penn State (6-0)
4. Ohio State (5-1)
5. Georgia (5-1)
6. Miami (6-0)
7. Alabama (5-1)
8. LSU (5-1)
9. Iowa State (6-0)
10. Clemson (5-1)
11. Tennessee (5-1)
12. Notre Dame (5-1)
13. BYU (6-0)
14. Texas A&M (5-1)
15. Boise State (5-1)
16. Indiana (6-0)
17. Kansas State (5-1)
18. Ole Miss (5-2)
19. Missouri (5-1)
20. Pittsburgh (6-0)
21. SMU (5-1)
22. Illinois (5-1)
23. Army (6-0)
24. Michigan (4-2)
25. Navy (5-0)