Arkansas Football: 5 must-win games for Razorbacks in 2018

A lot of positives came away from the spring game for Arkansas football. Can they continue that type of energy and effort into the regular season?

Arkansas football has a lot to improve upon from a 2017 campaign that ultimately cost their head coach his job when it was all said and done. Yet, the departure of Bret Bielema might have been for the better, outside of the entertainment factor for SEC Media Days.

First-year head coach Chad Morris takes over for the Razorbacks, with the goal of modernizing the offense and progressing the defense dramatically in mind for 2018, and beyond. Arkansas fell behind in both talent on the field, and recruiting off the field for the 2018 recruiting cycle. The Hogs registered in last place in the SEC in recruiting composite rankings for the 2018 class.

Considering the vast expectations of this ravenous fan base in Fayetteville, results need to start showing through soon. Bielema had the Hogs in the thick of the pack in the SEC West standings at times in the past few years. However, the bottom fell out during the 2017 campaign, where Arkansas won just a single game in conference play.

This season, there is an opportunity for programs that could start to stabilize in the SEC, like Arkansas, to climb up the conference standings. They came in last place in the SEC West standings last year too, behind an Ole Miss Rebels squad that was ineligible for the postseason no matter what.

Enough has been done for the Hogs to know what they need to improve upon to find more success this fall. Arkansas does also return some familiar faces on both sides of the ball, so the potential for immediate progress is in place.

Here are the five games that the Arkansas Razorbacks must win to get back to the point of fan expectations again, in 2018.