The No. 21 (AP) Arkansas Razorbacks were installed -24 point ATS favorites for their game versus Troy by oddsmakers at Sportsbook.com. At the time of publishing, no total or money line numbers were available. Since betting opened, the line has shrunk half a point to -23 ½. Troy is getting some respect from bettors as 55 percent of early wagers are fading the Hogs line for the underdog Trojans.
Arkansas opens the 2007 season with a matchup against the Troy University Trojans at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville, Ark., Saturday at 7:00 pm ET. The Razorbacks and Trojans will meet for the second time in school history. Arkansas won at the War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock in 2002 (23-0) as the two teams battled for the first time.
Arkansas has won 17 of its last 22 season-opening contests. The Hogs are 87-22-4(.801) all time in season openers including a streak of nine consecutive season-opening victories from 1997-2005. As a head coach, Houston Nutt is 11-3 (.786) in season openers, including an 8-1 mark as head coach of the Razorbacks. Nutt’s last loss in an opener came in 2006 in a 50-14 loss to Southern Cal. Arkansas is 24-3 in non-conference regular-season games under Houston Nutt. The Razorbacks won their first 20 non-SEC games under Nutt before falling short in a 22-20 loss to No. 7 Texas in 2004 and losses to USC in 2005 and 2006.
The Hogs return 13 starters from 2006, including six on offense, six on defense and kicker Jeremy Davis. Among the returning starters are All-America candidates TB Darren McFadden, TB Felix Jones, C Jonathan Luigs, FB Peyton Hillis, DE Antwain Robinson and MLB Weston Dacus. In addition, the Razorbacks return 47-of-69 lettermen from 2006 including 24 on offense, 21 on defense and two specialists.
Troy is 4-3 during this decade in season-opening games and is currently riding a three-game win streak in season openers, however, none of the winning openers were against BCS caliber competition. Saturdays game marks the first time Troy has faced a team from the Southeastern Conference in a season-opener. Troy is 1-10 against nationally-ranked opponents since moving to Division I in 2001.
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