Hillis Thinks Hogs Can Make Bowl Game But Wouldn't Bet The Farm On It

Hillis Thinks Hogs Can Make Bowl Game But Wouldn't Bet The Farm On It

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Hillis Thinks Hogs Can Make Bowl Game But Wouldn't Bet The Farm On It
Arkansas Razorbacks coach Ryan Silverfield with former Hogs' running back Peyton Hillis
Arkansas Razorbacks coach Ryan Silverfield (left) with former Hogs' running back Peyton Hillis (right) at spring practice on April 1, 2026 | Arkansas Razorback Football, Twitte

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – In an era where immense roster turnover is the norm in college football, nobody really knows what to expect of a team before the season starts, especially squads led by first-year head coaches.

The outlook around Arkansas and first-year head coach Ryan Silverfield has been understandably pessimistic, given that the Razorbacks are coming off of their third 2-10 season in eight years. Former Arkansas running back Peyton Hillis believes there's a path to six victories for Arkansas, but he's not all that confident in said path, either.

"Who in the world thinks they are really [legitimately] going to win more than five ballgames this year?," Hillis said on Pig Trail Nation. "Like honestly: who would put their house on it that they're going to win five ballgames? Nobody! I think that they can [win six]. Is that something that is going to happen?

"I mean, there's not anything in the pudding right now to come out and say, 'These guys are going to win more than five ballgames. I think the potential is there. If things go right, there's a good chance they win six or seven ballgames. Four games is a win. I hate to say that, because that's very sh—- of me. Just trying to be honest about it."

Arkansas has two seemingly guaranteed victories over North Alabama and Tulsa this season, but their schedule is arguably the most difficult in college football.

The Hogs will travel to Utah in Week 2, as well as taking road trips to Texas A&M, Vanderbilt, Auburn and Texas while hosting Georgia, Tennessee, Missouri, South Carolina and LSU.

Utah, Auburn and South Carolina could very well all be dogfights, while Vanderbilt and Missouri are winnable. Beating the likes of Tennessee, Texas A&M, Georgia, LSU and Texas will be extremely difficult, especially for a first-year head coach and a first-year starting quarterback in either AJ Hill or KJ Jackson.

But there is potential for an Arkansas team with fresh, experienced leadership across the board to potentially be a pleasant surprise. A bowl game, while understandably seeming like the peak of Mount Everest to many fans, is not at all out of the realm of possibility if the Hogs catch a few breaks and pull out some close wins.

But those breaks haven't gone Arkansas' way in recent years, which is why there's so much skepticism around potential success in 2026.

Hillis isn't alone is his prediction for the Razorbacks this fall either as former Alabama quarterback Greg McElroy believes Silverfield deserves a "standing ovation" just to reach six victories.

There's also the Paul Finebaum's and Phil Steele's of the world who are buying into the thought that its going to take a complete rebuild for Arkansas to be competitive under Silverfield, and that may not come soon enough for most fans either.

Winning fixes all, and until Silverfield gets the opportunity to put some W's in the column, he and the Razorbacks will be met with plenty of skepticism and cynicism alike.

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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/arkansas as Hillis Thinks Hogs Can Make Bowl Game But Wouldn't Bet The Farm On It.

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