Arkansas opponent capsules

LITTLE ROCK — Game 1 MISSOURI STATE TIME/DATE 6 p.m. Sept. 5 PLACE Little Rock 2008 RECORD 4-7 overall, 3-5 Missouri Valley Conference COACH Terry Allen (107-80 overall in 15 seasons, 12-21 in three seasons at Missouri State) RETURNING STARTERS Offense 6, defense 4 BEST OF THE BUNCH QB Cody Kirby, TE Clay Harbor, CB Cedric Alvis, SS Skylar Smith OUTLOOK Missouri State is a Football Championship Subdivision team that hasn't won more than six games in a season since going 7-4 in 1996.

FAST FACT Allen was Kansas' coach for five seasons, goling 20-33 with the Jayhawks from 1997-2001.

2009 SCHEDULE Sept. 5 at Arkansas (Little Rock) Sept. 12 Tennessee-Martin Sept. 19 Murray State Oct. 3 at Youngstown State Oct. 10 South Dakota State Oct. 17 at Western Illinois Oct. 24 at North Dakota State Oct. 31 Illinois State Nov. 7 Indiana State Nov. 14 at Southern Illinois Game 2 GEORGIA TIME/DATE 6:45 p.m. Sept. 12 PLACE Fayetteville 2008 RECORD 10-3 overall, 6-2 SEC COACH Mark Richt (82-22 in eight seasons at Georgia) RETURNING STARTERS Offense 7, defense 6 BEST OF THE BUNCH WR A.J. Green, LB Rennie Curran, DT Jeff Owens, DT Geno Atkins OUTLOOK Expectations always are high at Georgia, but the Bulldogs enter this season with a little less pressure after being a preseason No. 1 pick in 2008. Quarterback Joe Cox hasn't started since 2006 but is a senior who has his teammates' confidence and should be a solid replacement for Matthew Stafford.

FAST FACT Georgia is playing at Oklahoma State for the first time since 1947, when the Bulldogs beat the Cowboys 20-7.

2009 SCHEDULE Sept. 5 at Oklahoma State Sept. 12 South Carolina Sept. 19 at Arkansas Sept. 26 Arizona State Oct. 3 LSU Oct. 10 at Tennessee Oct. 17 at Vanderbilt Oct. 31 vs. Florida (at Jacksonville) Nov. 7 Tennessee Tech Nov. 14 Auburn Nov. 21 Kentucky Nov. 28 at Georgia Tech Game 3 ALABAMA TIME/DATE TBA Sept. 13 PLACE Tuscaloosa, Ala.

2008 RECORD 12-2 overall, 8-0 SEC COACH Nick Saban (110-50-1 overall in 13 seasons, 19-8 in two seasons at Alabama) RETURNING STARTERS Offense 4, defense 9 BEST OF THE BUNCH DT Terrence Cody, WR Julio Jones, LB Rolando McClain, OL Mike Johnson OUTLOOK The Crimson Tide should be carried by a strong defense while some new starters break in on offense. An opening test against Virginia Tech in Atlanta should indicate whether Alabama is ready for another big season.

FAST FACT Alabama's has a nationleading 56 bowl appearances.

2009 SCHEDULE Sept. 5 Virginia Tech (Atlanta) Sept. 12 Florida International Sept. 19 North Texas Sept. 26 Arkansas Oct. 3 at Kentucky Oct. 10 at Ole Miss Oct. 17 South Carolina Oct. 24 Tennessee Nov. 7 LSU Nov. 14 at Mississippi State Nov. 21 Chattanooga Nov. 28 at Auburn Game 4 TEXAS A&M TIME/DATE TBA Oct. 3 PLACE Arlington, Texas 2008 RECORD 4-8 overall, 2-6 Big 12 COACH Mike Sherman (4-8 in first season at Texas A&M) RETURNING STARTERS Offense 9, defense 7 BEST OF THE BUNCH QB Jerrod Johnson, QB/WR Ryan Tannehill, FS Jordan Pugh, OL Michael Shumard.

OUTLOOK The Aggies are in a major rebuilding mode in Sherman's second season as coach and improving in the rugged Big 12 South won't be easy. Having 16 starters back should help the process, but the Aggies are a long way from being a national powerhouse.

FAST FACT Joe Kines, the former Arkansas defensive coordinator and interim head coach for 10 games in 1992, is in his second season as Texas A&M's defensive coordinator.

2009 SCHEDULE Sept. 5 New Mexico Sept. 19 Utah State Sept. 26 Alabama-Birmingham Oct. 3 vs. Arkansas (at Arlington, Texas) Oct. 10 Oklahoma State Oct. 17 at Kansas State Oct. 24 at Texas Tech Oct. 31 Iowa State Nov. 7 at Colorado Nov. 14 at Oklahoma Nov. 21 Baylor Nov. 26 TexasGame 5 AUBURN TIME/DATE TBA Oct. 10 PLACE Fayetteville 2008 5-7 overall, 2-6 SEC COACH Gene Chizik (5-19 overall in two seasons, first season at Auburn) RETURNING STARTERS Offense 7, defense 7 BEST OF THE BUNCH DE Antonio Coleman, CB Walter McFadden, RB Ben Tate, OT Lee Ziemba OUTLOOK The Tigers are entering a new era with Chizik taking over for Tommy Tuberville, who coached Auburn the previous 10 seasons. The defense looks solid, but offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn has to find a way to score more points and develop a consistent quarterback.

FAST FACT Chizik won the Broyles Award as the nation's top assistant in 2004 when he was Auburn's defensive coordinator.

2009 SCHEDULE Sept. 5 Louisiana Tech Sept. 12 Mississippi State Sept. 19 West Virginia Sept. 26 Ball State Oct. 3 at Tennessee Oct. 10 at Alabama Oct. 17 Kentucky Oct. 24 at LSU Oct. 31 Ole Miss Nov. 7 Furman Nov. 14 at Georgia Nov. 27 Alabama Game 6 FLORIDA TIME/DATE TBA Oct. 17 PLACE Gainesville, Fla.

2008 RECORD 13-1 overall, 7-1 SEC COACH Urban Meyer (83-17 overall in eight seasons, 44-9 in four seasons) RETURNING STARTERS Offense 7, defense 11 BEST OF THE BUNCH QB Tim Tebow, LB Brandon Spikes, RB/KR Brandon James, RB Chris Rainey OUTLOOK With 18 starters back, the Gators are favored to win their second consecutive national championship and third in the past four seasons. Winning at LSU figures to be a key as to whether Florida can have its first undefeated season in school history. The Gators have lost on their last two trips to Baton Rouge.

FAST FACT Florida has blocked 26 kicks since 2005 (16 punts, 7 field goal attempts and 3 extra point attempts).

2009 SCHEDULE Sept. 5 Charleston Southern Sept. 12 Troy Sept. 19 Tennessee Sept. 26 at Kentucky Oct. 10 at LSU Oct. 17 Arkansas Oct. 24 at Mississippi State Oct. 31 vs. Georgia (Jacksonville) Nov. 7 Vanderbilt Nov. 14 at South Carolina Nov. 21 Florida International Nov. 28 Florida StateGame 7 OLE MISS TIME/DATE TBA Oct. 24 PLACE Oxford, Miss.

2008 RECORD 9-4 overall, 5-3 SEC COACH Houston Nutt (120-74 overall in 16 seasons, 9-4 in one season at Ole Miss) RETURNING STARTERS Offense 6, defense 8 BEST OF THE BUNCH QB Jevan Snead, RB Dexter McCluster, DE Greg Hardy, OL John Jerry OUTLOOK The Rebels ended last season with a six-game winning streak and were the only team to beat Florida. Now expectations are higher at Ole Miss than they've been since the early 1960s, when the Rebels were a consistent national power. Nutt's great challenge is building on last season's success when everyone will be gunning for the Rebels.

FAST FACT Ole Miss is the only SEC West team not to play in the SEC Championship Game.

2009 SCHEDULE Sept. 5 at Memphis Sept. 19 Southeastern Louisiana Sept. 24 at South Carolina Oct. 3 at Vanderbilt Oct. 10 Alabama Oct. 17 Alabama-Birmingham Oct. 24 Arkansas Oct. 31 at Auburn Nov. 7 Northern Arizona Nov. 14 Tennessee Nov. 21 LSU Nov. 28 at Mississippi State Game 8 EASTERN MICHIGAN TIME/DATE TBA Oct. 31 PLACE Fayetteville 2008 RECORD 3-9, 2-6 Mid-American Conference COACH Ron English (first season) RETURNING STARTERS Offense 8, defense 8 BEST OF THE BUNCH WR Jacory Stone, QB Andy Schmitt, LB Jermaine Jenkins, DE Brad Ohrman.

OUTLOOK Ron English is in his first season as Eastern Michigan's coach after being a defensive coordinator at Michigan and Louisville. He takes over a program with 16 returning starters, but the Eagles have a combined 41-107 record since 1996. There is a reason this is Arkansas' homecoming game.

FAST FACT Eastern Michigan Athletic Director Derrick Gragg is a former Arkansas associate athletic director.

2009 SCHEDULE Sept. 5 Army Sept. 12 at Northwestern Sept. 19 at Michigan Oct. 3 Temple Oct. 10 at Central Michigan Oct. 17 Kent State Oct. 24 Ball State Oct. 24 at Arkansas Nov. 5 at Eastern Illinois Nov. 14 Western Michigan Nov. 20 at Toledo Nov. 27 AkronGame 9 SOUTH CAROLINA TIME/DATE TBA Nov. 7 PLACE Fayetteville 2008 RECORD 7-6 overall, 3-5 SEC COACH Steve Spurrier (170-62-2 overall in 19 seasons, 28-22 in four seasons at South Carolina) RETURNING STARTERS Offense 5, defense 6 BEST OF THE BUNCH LB Eric Norwood, WR Moe Brown, S Darian Stewart, DE Cliff Matthews.

OUTLOOK Spurrier is known for switching quarterbacks, but South Carolina needs projected starter Stephen Garcia to take ownership of the position if the Gamecocks are to move up in the SEC East.

FAST FACT South Carolina has five new assistants this season, including former Arkansas cornerbacks coach Lorenzo Ward.

2009 SCHEDULE Sept. 3 at North Carolina State Sept. 12 at Georgia Sept. 19 Florida Atlantic Sept. 24 Ole Miss Oct. 3 South Carolina State Oct. 10 Kentucky Oct. 17 at Alabama Oct. 24 Vanderbilt Oct. 31 at Tennessee Nov. 7 at Arkansas Nov. 14 Florida Nov. 28 Clemson Game 10 TROY TIME/DATE TBA Nov. 14 PLACE Fayetteville 2008 RECORD 8-5 overall, 6-1 Sun Belt Conference COACH Larry Blakeney (144-73-1 in 18 seasons at Troy) RETURNING STARTERS Offense 8, defense 5 BEST OF THE BUNCH RB DuJuan Harris, DE Brandon Lang, LB Bear Woods, CB Jorrick Calvin.

OUTLOOK Troy is favored to win its second consecutive Sun Belt title and could throw a scare into the big boys on its schedule, including Florida and Arkansas.

FAST FACT The Trojans play seven road games.

2009 SCHEDULE Sept. 3 at Bowling Green Sept. 12 at Florida Sept. 19 Alabama-Birmingham Sept. 26 at Arkansas State Oct. 6 Middle Tennessee Oct. 17 at Florida International Oct. 24 North Texas Oct. 31 Louisiana-Monroe Nov. 7 at Western Kentucky Nov. 14 at Arkansas Nov. 21 Florida Nov. 28 at Louisiana-LafayetteGame 11 MISSISSIPPI STATE TIME/DATE TBA Nov. 21 PLACE War Memorial Stadium 2008 RECORD 4-8 overall 2-6 SEC COACH Dan Mullen (first season) RETURNING STARTERS Offense 8, defense 5 BEST OF THE BUNCH RB Anthony Dixon, LB Jamar Chaney, LB K.J. Wright, OT Derek Sherrod OUTLOOK Mississippi State is counting on Mullen, the former Florida offensive coordinator, to bring some excitement to the program after the Bulldogs averaged 15.2 points last season to rank 115th nationally in scoring offense.

FAST FACT Mississippi State has one winning season (2007) in the past eight years.

2009 SCHEDULE Sept. 5 Jackson State Sept. 12 at Auburn Sept. 19 at Vanderbilt Sept. 26 LSU Oct. 3 Georgia Tech Oct. 10 Houston Oct. 17 at Middle Tennessee Oct. 24 Florida Oct. 31 at Kentucky Nov. 14 Alabama Nov. 21 at Arkansas (Little Rock) Nov. 28 Ole Miss Game 12 LSU TIME/DATE TBA Nov. 28 PLACE Baton Rouge, La.

2008 RECORD 8-5 overall, 3-5 SEC COACH Les Miles (70-32 overall in eight seasons, 42-11 in four seasons at LSU) seasons) RETURNING STARTERS Offense 7, defense 6 BEST OF THE BUNCH RB Charles Scott, OT Ciron Black, WR Brandon LaFell, DE Rahim Alem.

OUTLOOK LSU took a fall last year after three consecutive 11-victory seasons and will look to challenge Alabama and Ole Miss for the SEC West title. Quarterback was a problem area, but the emergence of Jordan Jefferson late last season bodes well.

FAST FACT John Chavis is LSU's new defensive coordinator after being a Tennessee assistant the previous 20 years.

2009 SCHEDULE Sept. 5 at Washington Sept. 12 Vanderbilt Sept. 19 Louisiana-Lafayette Sept. 26 at Mississippi State Oct. 3 at Georgia Oct. 10 Florida Oct. 24 Auburn Oct. 31 Tulane Nov. 7 at Alabama Nov. 14 Louisiana Tech Nov. 21 at Ole Miss Nov. 28 Arkansas