FAYETTEVILLE -- The Arkansas Razorbacks completed their 2019 football schedule Tuesday, announcing they would host Western Kentucky on Nov. 9 that season.
The Hilltoppers, of Conference USA, will be one of three first-time opponents for the Razorbacks in 2019, along with their season-opening game against Portland State on Aug. 31 and their home game against San Jose State on Sept. 21. The University of Arkansas, Fayetteville also will host Colorado State on Sept. 14 in the return game of a home-and-home series that starts this Sept. 8 in Fort Collins, Colo.
UA officials redacted the amount of the game guarantee in a copy of the game contract with Western Kentucky provided to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette via a public records request, citing a competitive disadvantage exemption. UA officials also redacted the negotiated amount of cancellation, the liquidated damages section of the contract, as well as the amount of complimentary tickets provided to Western Kentucky, citing competitive disadvantage for both redactions.
Interim UA Athletic Director Julie Cromer-Peoples signed the contract Dec. 1, 2017, and Western Kentucky Athletic Director Todd Stewart signed it Feb. 1, 2018.
Officials for the game will be provided by the SEC, per the contract, and it will be played in either Fayetteville or Little Rock.
Arkansas and Western Kentucky also have agreed to meet twice in men's basketball, with the Hilltoppers coming to Fayetteville in 2018-2019 at a date to be announced later. The Razorbacks will play in Bowling Green, Ky., the next season.
Arkansas has a 4-2 record against the Hilltoppers in basketball. Western Kentucky is currently led by second-year Coach Rick Stansbury, who had a 22-year stint at Mississippi State, including 14 years as head coach. Stansbury's 293-165 record with the Bulldogs included a 16-13 mark against Arkansas and six NCAA Tournament appearances.
The Razorbacks' nonconference football schedules in 2018 and 2019 do not include a Power 5 opponent as mandated by the SEC office. Arkansas was able to receive a waiver from the league for those years because Michigan backed out of a two-year contract for home-and-home games in 2018 and 2019 last summer to get Notre Dame back on its schedule. The Wolverines were required to pay Arkansas $2 million for breaking the contract.
One of the outgrowths of that cancellation led to the Razorbacks scheduling Notre Dame for a series in football, with Arkansas traveling to South Bend, Ind., on Sept. 12, 2020, and the Fighting Irish playing at Reynolds Razorback Stadium on Oct. 4, 2025.
Sports on 03/07/2018