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The college football season kicks off inside War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock, Arkansas on Saturday afternoon as the Western Carolina Catamounts take on the Arkansas Razorbacks in a non-conference matchup.
This should be an interesting matchup as these teams seem to be on two completely different levels.
Western Carolina season predictions
The Western Carolina Catamounts had a good run last season as they finished 6-5 (4-4 in Southern) and will look to build on that. They will have a new starting quarterback as senior Carlos Davis transferred to UMass, so expect sophomore Cole Gonzales to take his place.
He had some playing time last season and was 102-of-161 (63.4 completion percentage) for 1,336 yards with 11 touchdowns and seven interceptions.
This team should do well in the conference on both sides of the ball so expect them to be within the top four in the Southern Conference when the season concludes.
Arkansas season predictions
Arkansas finished 7-6 (3-5 in SEC) last year and won against Kansas in the Liberty Bowl.
Senior quarterback KJ Jefferson is leading the Razorbacks this season and looks to build off his career year as he was 204-of-300 (68.0 completion percentage) for 2,648 yards with 24 touchdowns and five interceptions.
Thier offense was solid and Jefferson averaged 32.4 points due to his incredible ability to run the football. However, the team struggled defensively as they gave up 28.8 points per game in 2022.
They do some room for improvement and can be better, but they have a brutal stretch in the middle of the season that could ruin their season. How they do in those four games will dictate their record significantly.
Western Carolina vs. Arkansas: Head to head
This is the first time that Western Carolina and Arkansas will be playing against one another.
Western Carolina vs. Arkansas: Betting tips
- Arkansas had the over hit in 10 of the last 13 games
- Arkansas is 4-6 in their last 10 games
- Western Carolina is 4-6 in their last 10 games
Prediction: Western Carolina 24 - Arkansas 35
There is a clear difference in the rosters when looking at these teams and the Razorbacks should do well here at home.
Western Carolina is going to struggle with their backup quarterback from last year getting the start this year. They also lost too many of their top talent to expect them to come out of the gates hot. Arkansas should do well offensively and score a lot.
Where to watch Western Carolina vs. Arkansas
The opening game of the season will take place on Saturday, September 2, at 1:00 p.m. ET. It is going to be aired on the SEC Network, which is also available to watch on ESPN+ .
