2021 Arkansas Razorbacks football team

The 2021 Arkansas Razorbacks football team represented the University of Arkansas as a member of the Southeastern Conference during the 2021 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Led by second-year head coach Sam Pittman, the Razorbacks compiled an overall record of 9–4 with a mark of 4–4 in conference play, placing in a three-way tie for third in the SEC's Western Division. Arkansas was invited to the Outback Bowl, where the Razorbacks defeated [2021 Penn State Nittany Lions football|Penn State Nittany Lions football team|Penn State]. The team played home games at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The team played six home games at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville, Arkansas and one home game at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock, Arkansas.
The win over Penn State was Arkansas' first bowl game victory on New Year's Day since beating the [1999 2021 Texas Longhorns football team|Texas Longhorns football team|Texas Longhorns] in the 2000 Cotton Bowl Classic. The bowl win was also Arkansas' first over a Big Ten Conference opponent. Arkansas' victory over Texas on September 11 was the Razorbacks first win over the Longhorns in Fayetteville since 1981. For the first time in program history, the Razorbacks won all three rivalry trophy games in the same season, beating Texas A&M in Arlington, Texas for the Southwest Classic Trophy, [2021 2021 LSU Tigers football team|LSU Tigers football team|LSU] to win the Golden Boot, and [2021 2021 Missouri Tigers football team|Missouri Tigers football team|Missouri] to win the Battle Line Trophy. Arkansas also ended losing streaks of nine games versus Texas A&M, five games versus LSU, and five games versus Missouri.

Schedule

The Razorbacks' 2021 schedule was released on January 27, 2021, and consisted of seven home games, four away games, and one neutral site game in the regular season.

Preseason

SEC Media Days

The 2021 SEC Media Days were held July 19–22, 2021, at the Hyatt Regency Birmingham – The Wynfrey Hotel in Hoover, Alabama. The preseason polls were released on July 23, 2021. Arkansas placed sixth in the West Division in the preseason media poll, and five Arkansas players were selected to the all-SEC media teams.

Preseason all-SEC teams

Offense
1st team
Treylon Burks – WR
2nd team
Ricky Stromberg – C
3rd team
Myron Cunningham – OL
Defense
2nd team
Grant Morgan – LB
Jalen Catalon – DB

Game summaries

Arkansas–Pine Bluff

Vs. Penn State—Outback Bowl

Outback Bowl MVP – Arkansas QB K. J. Jefferson

Personnel

Recruits

Arkansas signed 22 recruits for the 2021 class, 21 from high school and one from junior college.

Transfers

Arkansas signed six players from the transfer portal for the 2021 class.

QB	Kade Renfro	Stephenville, Texas	Redshirt freshman	Ole Miss
OL	Ty'Kieast Crawford	Carthage, Texas	Sophomore	Charlotte
CB	Trent Gordon	Manvel, Texas	Junior	Penn State
DL	John Ridgeway III	Bloomington, Illinois	Senior	Illinois State
DL	Markell Utsey	Little Rock, Arkansas	Senior	Missouri
DE	Tre Williams	Columbia, Missouri	Senior	Missouri

Awards and honors

WR Treylon Burks – AP and Coaches 1st Team All-SEC
CB Montaric Brown – Coaches 1st Team All-SEC
LB Bumper Pool – AP and Coaches 2nd Team All-SEC
C Ricky Stromberg – AP 2nd Team All-SEC
RB Raheim Sanders – SEC All-Freshman Team
PK Cam Little – SEC All-Freshman Team; Freshman All-American
LB Grant Morgan – 2021 Burlsworth Trophy winner
P/H Reid Bauer – 2021 Peter Mortell Holder of the Year Award winner
QB KJ Jefferson – Outback Bowl MVP
HC Sam Pittman – AFCA Region 2 Coach of the Year

Players drafted in the NFL

Arkansas had three players selected in the 2022 NFL draft.

1	18	Treylon Burks	WR	Tennessee Titans
5	178	John Ridgeway III	DT	Dallas Cowboys
7	222	Montaric Brown	CB	Jacksonville Jaguars