Arkansas Football: 3 keys to successful season for Razorbacks in 2018

1. Win at least one game against an SEC opponent

Ole Miss was the only SEC team that fell to Arkansas in 2017 — and it took some last-second magic for that to happen. The Rebels were projected one spot above the Razorbacks this year, and the gap between Ole Miss and Arkansas to the rest of the division is sizable. Even LSU and Texas A&M seem out of reach, making beating Ole Miss priority No. 1.

Fortunately for the Razorbacks, they also draw Vanderbilt in their cross-divisional game. It wouldn’t be glamorous, but a win over the Commodores counts just as much in the final conference standings. It’s the start of positive momentum, something the Razorbacks are in short supply of entering 2018.

Arkansas has some history of being a thorn in the sides of the SEC’s big names. A loss against Ole Miss or even Vanderbilt would be quickly forgetten if they were able to knock off a brand-name foe in 2018. A neutral site contest against Texas A&M and a home game against LSU seem to be the best chance for Morris to make his mark on his new conference with a stunning win. Of course, the Hogs do host Alabama on Oct. 6.