Arkansas Football: Ranking 2020 opponents by toughness

I had a tough time picking the No. 6 team on the list because while I believe Tennessee is going to be very good in 2020, I think Texas A&M will be slightly better — by the slimmest of margins.

The Volunteers finished the 2019 season on a red-hot streak, winning six games in a row including a Gator Bowl victory over Indiana. They finished the season 8-5 after starting 1-4 with losses to BYU and Georgia State. No one could have seen the turnaround Jeremy Pruitt engineered in a two-month span.

Jarrett Guarantano is back under center and looking to prove himself one last time and the trio of Ty Chandler, Eric Gray and Tim Jordan return in the backfield. The defense was sixth-best in the SEC last season (No. 23 in the country) and brings back five starters.

Texas A&M has recently run into problems off the field, but one year of probation handed down by the NCAA isn’t too harsh. The Aggies will be solid once again and could be serious contenders in the SEC West. Is this the year the Aggies finally break out and beat teams like Alabama, LSU and Auburn to win the division title?

It’s all possible with Kellen Mond back at quarterback yet again after passing for 2,897 yards and 20 touchdowns a season ago. He also rushed for 501 yards and eight scores.

The Aggies will have Isaiah Spiller back after a breakout freshman season at running back and a talented receiving corps and improving defense that brings back eight starters from a unit that ranked No. 29 nationally last season. Don’t sleep on the Aggies.