FAYETTEVILLE — When Arkansas and Cincinnati agreed in August 2019 to play a future non-conference game, the announcement didn’t draw much attention outside the two teams’ fan bases.
Now, it's a showcase of programs on the rise.
The Razorbacks were on the heels of their worst season in program history, posting a 2-10 record and going winless in SEC play. Things have changed since then under coach Sam Pittman, and last season, the Razorbacks went 9-4 and won the Outback Bowl.
In 2019, Cincinnati had just completed its second year under coach Luke Fickell, who improved the Bearcats from four wins in 2017 to tie a program-best with 11 in 2018.