Arkansas vs. Arkansas State Delivers Memorable 56-14 Razorback Rout

Arkansas could’ve treated Saturday’s Week 2 contest with Arkansas State at War Memorial Stadium like any other game against a Group of Five opponent. They didn’t, and that’s what led to a game that looked like any other game between an SEC team and a Group of Five opponent. Which, in the end, finished with a 56-14 rout by the Razorbacks.

Arkansas vs. Arkansas State 2025: Week 2 Recap

Arkansas and Arkansas State had never met on the gridiron before Saturday’s game. For a multitude of reasons, both schools didn’t play a game that would see the two biggest college football programs in the Natural State come together.

That changed on Saturday, and while it may have caused former Arkansas athletic directors John Barnhill and Frank Broyles to roll over in their respective graves, the end result was what it should’ve been: a 56-14 Razorback victory.

Living in the Moment

Perhaps the biggest key to that outcome was Arkansas making sure its players knew how significant the game was. It’s not every year that you get to play an in-state opponent for the first time. And, it could be the last time War Memorial Stadium hosts a Razorback football game (for real, this time).

Arkansas didn’t let the historic weight of the moment get the best of them, but they didn’t let it pass them by, either.

It was evident in the way it was played that Arkansas didn’t treat the game like a run-of-the-mill, non-conference affair. This game meant something to both teams, both fan bases and especially the packed crowd that filled War Memorial Stadium and made it as loud as it was in its heyday.

“We knew the significance of this game to our Great State of Arkansas,” Arkansas head coach Sam Pittman said in his post-game news conference. “130 years of playing, and we’ve decided now that we’re going to play the game.”

There’s been much discourse over the decades about why Arkansas and Arkansas State hadn’t been able to play each other. In the weeks leading up to the game, there was much playful ribbing exchanged between two fan bases who weren’t exactly sure what to make of each other; could they treat the game like a natural, in-state rivalry when it hadn’t been played before?

That question likely has only subjective answers. However, both Red Wolf and Razorback fans alike made themselves heard on Saturday afternoon.

The Hogs Show Up

Naturally, Arkansas’ contingent of fans far outnumbered ASU’s. However, those that made the trip from northeastern Arkansas showed out for their team.

The tailgate is a scene. pic.twitter.com/aNIgyzXAqW

— Kara Richey (@Kara_Richey) September 6, 2025

There wasn’t all that much for the ASU faithful to cheer for, especially in the second half. But a game that had long been avoided by authority figures was embraced by fans from both sides.

Yet it was Arkansas who made sure that their fans left Little Rock happy. On the second play from scrimmage, Mike Washington Jr. broke a 53-yard touchdown run that put the Hogs on the board first. Less than five minutes later, a strike from quarterback Taylen Green to receiver Raylen Sharpe made the score 14-0.

Sharpe target 🎯 pic.twitter.com/O2kmy35P6b

— Arkansas Razorback Football (@RazorbackFB) September 6, 2025

Arkansas State responded with kickoff return for a touchdown, but Arkansas added two more scores before the end of the first quarter and took a 28-7 advantage to the second period of play.

Both teams found the end zone in the second quarter, with Arkansas leading 35-14 at halftime. Despite the three-touchdown lead, there were some glaring mistakes from the Hogs, including two interceptions from Green and poor special teams play on the aforementioned kickoff return.

A cleaner second half followed for the Razorbacks, however. And when the clock struck zero inside War Memorial Stadium, Arkansas walked away with a 56-14 win.

Turn that damn jukebox on 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/s4pXOuCdJu

— Arkansas Razorback Football (@RazorbackFB) September 7, 2025

Arkansas vs. Arkansas State: History Made in Week 2 Matchup

Saturday’s game was understandably ignored on a national scale. In all likelihood, few college football fans outside of the state of Arkansas cared that the Hogs and Red Wolves were playing for the first time.

On the surface, another Week 2 contest between a Power Four school and a Group of Five school wasn’t very enticing before kickoff. And, the game itself went the way most pundits probably predicted it to go.

However, it’s not every day that you get to see history be made right in front of you. The coaches and players at Arkansas and Arkansas State both got to experience that on Saturday. It’s safe to say that September 6, 2025, won’t be a day that’s forgotten in the state of Arkansas any time soon.

As the Razorback marching band struck up the victory tune, “Hard to be Humble”, it was hard not to think about how historic Saturday’s game between Arkansas and Arkansas State was. And, how it could be a one-of-a-kind affair that will never be seen again for the rest of time.