Arkansas to host Ole Miss at War Memorial in 2018

Fans fill War Memorial Stadium prior to a game between Arkansas and Ole Miss on Oct. 27, 2012.
Fans fill War Memorial Stadium prior to a game between Arkansas and Ole Miss on Oct. 27, 2012.

— Arkansas will host Ole Miss at War Memorial Stadium next year.

The Razorbacks' game against the Rebels will be played on Oct. 13, 2018, part of a five-game home stand that includes four games against SEC teams. Ole Miss will be the first SEC opponent to play in Little Rock since Georgia in 2014.

Arkansas had announced its 2018 schedule in September without indicating which game it would play in Little Rock, but the contract between the two parties stipulated Arkansas must play an SEC opponent there next year.

The Razorbacks last played the Rebels at the stadium in 2012, a 30-27 Ole Miss win. The teams have played in Little Rock 15 times dating to 1913. The city serves as a sort of midpoint between the programs' campuses in Fayetteville and Oxford, Miss.

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"Arkansas and Ole Miss first met on the football field more than a century ago and we look forward to the next chapter in this rivalry, in a venue that has hosted so many important games in this series," Arkansas interim athletics director Julie Cromer Peoples wrote in a statement.

Per its contract with War Memorial Stadium, Arkansas is obligated to play an SEC team there next year. The contract between the two parties expires following the 2018 game, although discussions are ongoing about keeping at least one Razorbacks game there each season in following years.

Arkansas has played annually at War Memorial Stadium since 1948. According to emails and documents exchanged between university leaders and the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism, the stadium needs between $4.85 million and $10 million in renovations to come in line with fan demands, TV requirements and potential changes to Southeastern Conference rules.

“We are thrilled to have an SEC game back at War Memorial next fall, especially one that pits the Razorbacks against Ole Miss,” said Kane Webb, director of Arkansas Parks and Tourism. “Given the tradition and decades-long rivalry the Hogs have had with the Rebels, including some great games in Little Rock, it’s a fitting match-up as we celebrate the 70th anniversary of the stadium. I look forward to a festive atmosphere, a great turnout, and a great time in the capital city.”

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