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FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas is scheduled to play a football game against North Alabama in 2026.
The contract for the game, which is scheduled for Sept. 5, 2026, in Fayetteville, was discovered through a Freedom of Information Act request. Neither team has officially announced the matchup that is expected to be the season opener on Labor Day Weekend.
North Alabama is a member of the United Athletic Conference in the NCAA’s Football Championship Subdivision. The Lions recorded consecutive 3-8 seasons in 2023 and 2024 under head coach Brent Dearmon, who has ties to the state of Arkansas as the former offensive coordinator at Arkansas Tech from 2015-17.
Dearmon, 40, also served in coordinator roles at Kansas, Middle Tennessee and Florida Atlantic between 2020-22.
North Alabama is the fourth nonconference opponent scheduled for the Razorbacks in 2026. Arkansas is scheduled to play at Utah on Sept. 12, host Memphis on Sept. 19 and host Tulsa on Nov. 21.
Modifications to the nonconference schedule would be required if the SEC moves to a 9-game conference schedule in 2026. SEC commissioner Greg Sankey told ESPN earlier this month he thinks the league should expand from an 8-game to a 9-game format, a long-debated change that might have some resolution later this year around the time a future College Football Playoff format is determined.
The Razorbacks were previously scheduled to host Charleston Southern, an FCS opponent, in the 2026 season opener. That game contract was canceled last month, according to FOIA documents.
Arkansas and North Alabama have never played in football. The Lions competed as a Division II team until 2018.
Matt Jones
Matt Jones is the managing editor of WholeHogSports.com and hosts the Hawgs Sports Network Daily Podcast. He is a member of the Football Writers Association of America and National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association, and voter for the Heisman Trophy. He has a bachelor’s and master’s degree in journalism from the University of Arkansas.
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