Arkansas football opens the 2024 season Thursday with an in-state matchup against Arkansas Pine-Bluff (UAPB) at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock (6:30 p.m., ESPNU). This will be the second time the Razorbacks and Golden Lions have squared off on the gridiron.

The Hogs enter the campaign with a head coach on the hot seat.

Sam Pittman, coming off a 4-8 record in 2023, revamped the roster and the offensive coaching staff in the offseason. He brought in Bobby Petrino as offensive coordinator, and there’s a new commander under center in Boise State transfer Taylen Green.

More: Arkansas football’s 5 most important players in 2024 season

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Thursday will present the first opportunity for Arkansas fans to see the Green and Petrino combination in action. After UAPB, Arkansas embarks on a grueling stretch with three difficult opponents away from home, starting with a week two showdown against No. 19 Oklahoma State.

Tickets are available for Arkansas home games, including a terrific SEC slate against Tennessee, LSU, Ole Miss and Texas. Here’s a look at Arkansas football ticket prices for every game this season.

Arkansas Football 2024 Tickets

Arkansas football tickets, best prices

Ticket prices for UAPB vs Arkansas at War Memorial Stadium start at $24 on StubHub and $26 on VividSeats. Prices near the 50-yard line and close to the field range from $75 to $200 on both sites.

To see a full list of ticket prices, visit StubHub and Vivid Seats.

Arkansas football 2024 schedule

Aug. 29: vs. UAPB (War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock), 6:30 p.m. (ESPNU)

Sept. 7: at Oklahoma State, 11 a.m. (ABC)

Sept. 14: vs. UAB, 3:15 p.m. (SEC Network)

Sept. 21: at Auburn

Sept. 28: vs. Texas A&M (AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas)

Oct. 5: vs. Tennessee

Oct. 12: BYE

Oct. 19: vs. LSU

Oct. 26: at Mississippi State

Nov. 2: vs. Ole Miss

Nov. 9: Idle

Nov. 16: vs. Texas

Nov. 23: vs. Louisiana Tech

Nov. 30: at Missouri

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Gallup and the Walton Family Foundation released results Thursday from a new survey showing Generation Z students in Arkansas are more likely than the national average to engage in several key areas of their education. The Voices of Gen Z Arkansas Youth study found they are also more likely to say they know their core values.

A follow-up to Gallup’s annual national survey, the study is designed to better understand this generation’s unique outlook, ambitions and challenges. Part of a national initiative, Gallup and the foundation also surveyed more than 500 Arkansans between the ages of 12 to 27.

“These findings reveal that Arkansas students are having positive classroom experiences. They are motivated by great educators and are exploring career paths instead of just pursuing a bachelor’s degree,” said Robert Burns, director of the Walton Family Foundation Home Region Program. “To keep opportunities strong for Gen Z in Arkansas, we need to focus on retaining quality teachers, improving regional affordability, expanding career options and making sure everyone has a say in future solutions.”

Highlights of the 2024 Voices of Gen Z Arkansas Youth study include:

While Arkansas respondents were mostly in line with national averages, there was some data that stood out.

• Arkansas Gen Z respondents identified these three factors as being very important:
  • Building a life that makes you happy (83%)
  • Making enough money to live comfortably (78%)
  • Having close relationships with friends and family (74%)
• Young Arkansans know their core values better than young people nationally. In 2024, 50% of Gen Zers in Arkansas strongly agree they know what their core values are, compared with 38% nationally.
• Arkansas Gen Zers are more likely to say that having a good spiritual or religious life (48% compared to 35%) and having children (38% compared to 29%) is very important to have a great life compared with their national Gen Z peers.
• Less than half of Arkansas Gen Zers are thriving, falling below the national average (45% compared to 51%). Gallup considers people to be thriving if they give high ratings to their current life and their future expected life.

Secondary Education:

• Arkansan Gen Zers are more likely than the national average to be engaged by their teachers and schoolwork. Eighty-two percent of Arkansan Gen Zers agree or strongly agree they have at least one teacher who makes them excited about their future. This aspect of school is the most highly rated by young Arkansans.
• Arkansas Gen Zers (82%) are more likely to agree they have an inspiring teacher than their national peers (75%).
• Compared with national findings, Arkansans say their teachers make them feel their schoolwork is important (69% compared to 60%).

Postsecondary Paths

• While Arkansas Gen Zers are less likely than those nationally to enroll in postsecondary education right after high school, their desire for postsecondary education remains.
• In Arkansas, 74% of Gen Zers aged 12 to 18 want to pursue college after high school.
• Sixty-four percent of respondents aged 19 to 27 report enrolling in college in their first year after high school. This differs from their national peers, who are less likely to say they want to pursue college (68% among those aged 12 to 18) but are more likely to say they enrolled (80% among those aged 19 to 27).
• Among Gen Zers of all ages (12 to 27), Arkansans are less likely than the national average to say that a bachelor’s degree is very or somewhat important to achieving their goals for the future (73% vs. 77%).
• Like their national peers, Arkansas Gen Zers are most likely to identify the cost of living (60%) and the cost of education (46%) as challenges to achieving their goals.

“Learning from the experiences of younger generations is vital for anyone invested in the future of our state and country,” said Burns. “We aim to create the best experiences for all generations and hope this Gen Z study gives us, policymakers and researchers the insights needed to make informed decisions.”

The findings represent the second installment of a multiyear study to better understand Gen Z students in Arkansas and nationwide.

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With more than $680,000 in grant funding available this year for Arkansas schools and the launch of a volunteer program to help students complete new graduation requirements, the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission has brightened its spotlight on conservation education.

Both efforts help to build long-term support for conservation, which is one of the parameters the commission uses to measure its success, spokesperson Randy Zellers said.

“Right now there are boys and girls who want to know more about the outdoors, but their schools may not have the resources available to truly devote toward anything outside of core curriculum,” Zellers said. “These grants and volunteer opportunities give them the means to expand their educational offerings and capture the interest of some of those students.”

The $682,472 in available funding comes from boating and wildlife fines collected in fiscal year 2024 and any unspent money from schools in previous years. The funds stay within the county where the fines were collected and the amounts vary.

The variance tends to correlate to the public recreation opportunities offered in each county, Zellers said.

Arkansas County, which includes Stuttgart, a renowned duck hunting destination, accrued the most fines at $36,170, according to the Game and Fish Commission. The next highest amount, $26,563, was collected in White County where bass, crappie, bream and catfish are popular catches in Bald Knob Lake.

“However, increased opportunity doesn’t always lead to an increase in wildlife violations or fine money collected,” Zellers said. “One egregious incident with a poacher being caught with multiple violations at once may result in thousands of dollars in fines on its own.” 

In the coming weeks, applications for grants will be available through the Rural Service Division, which is part of the Arkansas Department of Economic Development. Grants can be used to fund programs such as Youth Shooting Sports and Archery in the Schools. 

The money can also be spent on projects like butterfly habitats and field trips to nature centers, hatcheries or wildlife management areas.

“The experience may vary from student to student, but teamwork, leadership and long-term commitment are all traits developed through conservation education opportunities,” Zellers said.

Approximately $537,000 was awarded to schools last year. Approved items included bee houses and hummingbird feeders for a pollinator garden at Dewitt Elementary school, construction materials for an outdoor classroom at a Bradley County school and animal skins, track and skull replicas in Franklin County.

Current applications are open through Oct. 3.

Volunteer program

The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission also recently announced a new volunteer program aimed at helping high schools students complete 75 hours of community service hours, which is now a graduation requirement under the LEARNS Act.

Along with many other changes the sweeping education law brought upon Arkansas schools last year, the LEARNS Act implemented a community service requirement for all students, unless they secure a waiver. Reasons for obtaining a waiver could include major illness, homelessness or if the student is a primary contributor to their household income.

Rules governing Arkansas community service graduation requirement approved for public comment

In March, Arkansas Department of Education Deputy Commissioner Stacy Smith said the new graduation requirement would help students build pride in and connection to their communities.

Each district is allowed to define what community service can include, though the policy must be posted to the district website, require an adult to sign off on the student’s community service hours and include preparation, action and reflection components required for a student to receive credit.

The Arkansas Game and Fish program opens the door to students who are “interested in giving back to conservation as well as their community,” according to a press release. School district officials will need to submit a request to register for opportunities before students can participate.

“We’re trying to offer a variety of experiences so students can find something they can enjoy doing and feel like they contributed once the work is done,” said Leah Hughes, the commission’s volunteer program coordinator. “Having worked at many of our events myself, I can tell you that it can be so fun and fulfilling that you might have a hard time stopping at those minimum hours required.”

Volunteer opportunities will give students a peek into the everyday tasks of those who work for the commission with activities such as trail cleanups, fishing derbies and archery tournaments.

“Conservation education is paramount to the [commission’s] mission of conserving and enhancing wildlife and their habitats while promoting sustainable use, public understanding and support,” Zellers said. “It’s not just about hunting and fishing, but about all aspects of conservation, responsible water usage, understanding our role in the world around us and how what we do affects everything downstream from us.”