Lunardi Bracketology Highlights Arkansas’ Grueling Schedule

One look at the latest bracketology from ESPN’s Joe Lunardi highlights just how grueling Arkansas’ schedule in in Year 1 under John Calipari.

Joey Brackets actually moved the Razorbacks up a line to a 4-seed where he projects them to face 13-seed UC Irvine in the NCAA Tournament Round of 64 followed by a matchup with the winner of 5-seed Indiana and 12-seed Grand Canyon.

Alright, cool. Way-too-early polls and bracket projections are fun to look at, but they are to be taken with an extra large grain of salt, especially six weeks before the start of the season.

However, there are takeaways to be had from anything in life, and in this instance it is hard to ignore just how loaded Arkansas’ schedule appears to be in 2024-25.

Out of the anticipated 31 regular season games on the docket, 17 feature opponents Lunardi projects to be in the tournament field. That is not including an exhibition against projected 1-seed Kansas a month from today.

All four of Arkansas’ marquee non-conference games have the Hogs slated to face a team expected to participate in March Madness:

• Baylor (3-seed)
• Illinois (7-seed)
• Michigan (8-seed)
• @ Miami (9-seed)

While the rest of the non-conference slate leaves a bit to be desired in terms of pop and big-name opponents, Calipari has scheduled a trio of mid-majors expected to win their leagues:

• Arkansas’ home opener on Nov. 6 is against Lipscomb out of the ASUN, a projected 15-seed
• The Razorbacks are scheduled to take on Troy — from the Sun Belt — Nov. 13. Lunardi has the Trojans slotted as a 14-seed.
• Oakland — the defending Horizon League champs who upset Calipari and Kentucky in the NCAA Tournament last season — are projected to repeat in their league and be in the field as a 15-seed. The Golden Grizzlies come to Fayetteville Dec. 30.

The 2024-25 season will be the deepest the SEC has been in recent memory. Lunardi projects 10 SEC teams, including Arkansas, into his field, the most among any conference in the country.

• Alabama (1-seed)
• Auburn (2-seed)
• Tennessee (4-seed)
• Texas (5-seed) *Arkansas plays the Longhorns twice
• Texas A&M (5-seed)
• Kentucky (6-seed)
• Mississippi State (7-seed)
• Florida (9-seed)
• Ole Miss (9-seed)