Arkansas opens the season Saturday with a home game against North Alabama, and the financial side of the matchup is already set: the Razorbacks will pay the Lions $550,000 whether the result goes their way or not, according to AL.com's record request.
That deal, signed in June 2025, also includes 400 complimentary tickets for North Alabama. The payment is due within 90 days of the Sept. 5 opener.
On the field, there are a few familiar threads running through this one. UNA coach Brent Dearmon knows Arkansas well from his time as Arkansas Tech offensive coordinator from 2015-2017, after working on Gus Malzahn's Auburn staff as an analyst from 2013-14.
He has had a tough run with the Lions so far, going 9-27 overall in four seasons, but UNA did open Week Zero with a convincing 22-10 win over Samford. That at least gives the Lions a little momentum heading into Fayetteville.
There is still a real gap in talent, of course, and Arkansas will be expected to handle business. But if North Alabama can play clean, stay physical and avoid the kinds of mistakes that usually bury FCS teams against FBS opponents, it could leave with something to build on.
For Arkansas, this is also a first-game test for new coach Ryan Silverfield, and it comes with an unusual amount of familiarity on the other sideline. The Razorbacks have seven former Memphis players on their roster in running back Sutton Smith, tight end Matt Adcock, wide receiver Jamari Hawkins, safety Ian Williams, left guard Malachi Breland, offensive tackle Josiah Clemons and quarterback AJ Hill.
That connection extends to the staff as well. Arkansas offensive coordinator Tim Cramsey, offensive line coach Jeff Myers, wide receivers coach Larry Smith and quarterbacks coach Mitch Stewart all have Memphis ties. On the UNA side, Joshua Long, who was a quality control staff member at Memphis, is now the Lions' defensive line coach and helped bring in Memphis transfers Kavion Benton, Mond Cole, Donovan Nevils, Joshua White, offensive lineman Will French and receiver Xavier Johnson.
Silverfield said the shared background will force Arkansas to adjust its offensive line communication before kickoff.
"We're having to change up all of our offensive line calls in run and pass protection, which is unique, because you go all the way up through training camp," Silverfield said on Monday. "And then, ‘Hey, this next week let's change all this up,’ just because we can't give them an advantage, so it's going to be a battle because I know what they're capable of doing. But, you know, I've got full belief in our guys.”
He also described the emotions that come with taking over the Razorbacks for the first time, from the Hog Walk to the pregame coin toss and everything in between.
"Everybody always says ‘enjoy it.’ Because you only get one first game as the head coach at Arkansas," Silverfield said.
"I’m going to have a smile on my face. But as soon as we go to the coin toss, my emotions, it’s almost like totally get in check.
I’ve shared this with you guys before and some people have said, ‘Ryan, you seen like you’re pretty calm on the sidelines.’ That doesn’t mean that I’m not going to be excited when positives occur or frustrated when we don’t do what we’re supposed to be doing.
"I’m going to be very excited and so honored and humbled to lead the team out of the tunnel this Saturday, but once we get though that ‘A,’ it’s a totally different mindset for me."
Silverfield, 46, has been in the profession for 28 years and has already been through 11 opening days, including his debut as a head coach at Memphis. Now he gets another first, this time on the Arkansas sideline in the SEC, with the job of pushing the Razorbacks back toward relevance.
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