![Florida running back Jadan Baugh (13) runs in for a touch down during the second half of an NCAA football game at Steve Spurrier Field at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, FL on Saturday, November 29, Florida beat Florida State 40-21.2025. [Alan Youngblood/Gainesville Sun]](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,x_0,y_0,w_2662,h_1497/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/production/213/01ksq8ff84x7yfa06tmr.jpg "Florida running back Jadan Baugh (13) runs in for a touch down during the second half of an NCAA football game at Steve Spurrier Field at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, FL on Saturday, November 29, Florida beat Florida State 40-21.2025. [Alan Youngblood/Gainesville Sun]")
One of the reasons why we here at Hail Florida Hail keep such high standards for the Gators is because it is among the select group of programs where it is always just one coach away from winning a national title. There are a number of universities, including some within the SEC, that frankly can’t claim that unless they land the unicorn of unicorns like Indiana did with Curt Cignetti.
And as kick-off times to open the 2026 campaign are starting to get released, it is also a reminder of why the Gator logo carries weight and why those title dreams are never going to fade.
Arkansas doesn’t like its kickoff times to start the 2026 campaign
The SEC announced start times for the first three weeks of the season, and the Gators won’t have any noon games to open the season. Most notably, their week three showdown against Auburn is getting the prime time treatment on ESPN.
That is in stark contrast to what Arkansas was given to open its 2026 season. Like Florida, the Razorbacks are breaking in a new head coach from the American Conference, Ryan Silverfield. Unlike Florida, there is next to zero buzz for the Razorbacks, and it shows with their kickoff times.
In week two, Arkansas will play at 10:15 PM at Utah in a game that almost no one on the East Coast is going to try to stay awake for. The powers that be are then having Arkansas follow that up with a week three game against Georgia at home at 12 PM ET, 11 AM local time. Even if you remove the backdrop of getting home late from their Utah game, having one of its biggest home games of the year slated for 11 AM local time is quite the message from the powers that be.
Arkansas AD Hunter Yurachek took to social media to blast the decision, though his concern had to tiptoe around the perception issue:
"The assigned schedule will cost our student-athletes nearly a full day of rest and recovery. This is not simply a competitive disadvantage — it is a genuine welfare issue for the young men who represent our program and contribute greatly to the bottom line of our television partners. I am confident that there are not many other programs in the SEC that would be placed in a similar position, and I will not quietly accept it for our program."
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