FAYETTEVILLE — Pressure abounds on both sidelines for Saturday’s first clash between No. 22 Notre Dame and Arkansas.
The Fighting Irish (1-2) entered the season with College Football Playoff hype after losing in last year’s national championship game.
Arkansas (2-2) had lower expectations from national analysts and yet the Razorbacks had a solid shot at a 4-0 start. That possibility was squelched by an underperforming defense and late turnovers while in game-winning range by their high-powered offense during back-to-back road losses at unbeaten Ole Miss and Memphis.
Those gut-punch defeats, which dropped sixth-year Arkansas coach Sam Pittman’s record in one-score games to 7-19, has a swath of the fan base frustrated at the familiarity of it all.