This page covers the history of Arkansas Razorbacks football.

Overview Early history (1894–1957)

The first University of Arkansas football team was formed in 1894 and coached by John Futrall, who was a Latin professor at the university.Henry, Orville, and Jim Bailey. The Razorbacks: A Story of Arkansas Football. Fayetteville: University of Arkansas Press, 1996. That team played three games: two against Fort Smith High School and one against Texas. Before the 1909 season, the teams were called the Arkansas Cardinals and a bird was the school's mascot. The name and mascot changed following the 1909 season when the football team, coached by Hugo Bezdek, finished 7–0. The Cardinals became the Razorbacks after Arkansas defeated LSU 7–0, and coach Bezdek told a group of reporters after the game that his team played like a "wild band of Razorback hogs". The name stuck, and the student body voted to change the mascot. The "Wooo Pig Sooie" or "Calling The Hogs" became a tradition and the official school cheer in the 1920s when farmers rushing out to meet the bus returning from an away game called the hogs as a greeting. Arkansas prevailed over powerhouses Oklahoma, LSU and Washington University in St. Louis in 1909, and was declared unofficial champions of the South and Southwest. It was with the help of Steve Creekmore that this was accomplished. Creekmore became perhaps the first Razorback star, a quarterback from Van Buren who initially played only intramurals. Bezdek used Creekmore to install a very early edition of the hurry-up offense, as the team never huddled and chased the ball after every play. Creekmore was also known for "fast and slippery running, blocking, and passing" and could also return punts and tackle well.

There are differing stories about the origins of the 'Razorbacks' mascot, however. The Texarkana Arkansas High School mascot and athletic emblem is the Razorback with red and white serving as the school colors. The Razorback mascot was selected in 1910 to replace the Cardinal as the University of Arkansas mascot. In exchange for its use, the university provided used athletic gear to Texarkana Arkansas High; this practice is no longer used. With the new name and mascot, the Hogs defeated LSU 51–0 and gave Texas A&M their only loss in 1910, but fell short of another perfect season, losing 5–0 to Kansas State."Arkansas Razorback Football " Yearly Results, 1910 – 1919." Site. Retrieved on January 31, 2009. In 1913, Arkansas quarterback J. L. Carter and the Razorbacks lost to Ole Miss, and took a fateful train to Arkadelphia to play Ouachita Baptist. While Carter was eating, he was invited to a meeting of Ouachita boosters. He transferred (which took place immediately, this being permissible at the time) and defeated Arkansas 15–9 in 1914. The Hogs would be contacted by L. Theo Bellmont in 1913 in his attempt to create an intercollegiate conference to regulate use of ringers. Hugo Bezdek, since replaced by E. T. Pickering, had recommended that the Hogs join a conference before he left to coach at Oregon.

The Razorbacks joined the Southwest Conference (SWC) as charter members in 1915. The conference also included teams from Texas (Baylor, Rice, Texas, Texas A&M) and Oklahoma (Oklahoma, Oklahoma A&M). Southwestern (TX) would also join, but leave the following year. The 1916, 1917, and 1919 teams were led at quarterback by "Arkansas' greatest athlete" Gene Davidson. The Razorbacks didn't have a winning conference record until 1920, and didn't win the conference championship until 1936. Arkansas had the best record during the 1933 season, but had to forfeit the SWC Championship because Ulysses "Heine" Schleuter, who had no eligibility remaining, played on the team. Schleuter had told coach Fred Thomsen that he was eligible, but he was recognized by an SMU player during the game as a former Cornhusker. The Hogs did accept an invitation to the 1934 Dixie Classic, a precursor to today's Cotton Bowl Classic. Arkansas became rivals with Ole Miss due to proximity. Although not SWC members, Ole Miss played Arkansas intermittently until a yearly series began from 1952–1961. During the 1938 season, the Razorbacks replaced their 300-seat stadium known as The Hill with Bailey Stadium, named after Arkansas governor Carl Bailey. It was known as University Stadium for one game before being changed to honor the governor. This stadium still exists today, although heavily renovated, as Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium, the current home of the Razorbacks.

Arkansas won the conference championship in 1946, earning a bid in the 1947 Cotton Bowl Classic with LSU. The game would become known as the Ice Bowl, as a winter storm hit Dallas before the game. The two rivals battled to a scoreless tie, with Razorback great Clyde Scott tackling an LSU Tiger at the one yard-line to preserve the tie on the second-to-last play of the game. LSU would fail to complete the field goal attempt on the next play. The Razorbacks defeated William & Mary the next year in the 1948 Dixie Bowl. In 1954, the Ole Miss rivalry would catch fire. The Hogs played the Rebels in War Memorial Stadium on October 23, 1954. The Rebels were ranked No. 5 by the AP Poll entering the game, and Arkansas was picked to finish last in the SWC.Georgia Tech, 14, Arkansas 6. Retrieved on January 15, 2009. The contest would be decided by a 66-yard halfback pass from tailback Buddy Bob Benson to blocking back Preston Carpenter, the only score of the game. This is referred to as the Powder River Play, and "perhaps the most important in Arkansas football history to that time" by Orville Henry, a member of the 1954 team.1954 Arkansas Razorbacks Varsity Football Roster. Photo. Retrieved on January 15, 2009. The Hogs would get back to the Cotton Bowl Classic in 1954, only to be defeated by Georgia Tech. Future Arkansas head coach Frank Broyles was an assistant under Yellowjackets head coach Bobby Dodd in the game. The 1954 season was all the more impressive when it is considered that the team only had twenty-five players on the squad. That team, dubbed the "25 Little Pigs" and coached by Bowden Wyatt, finished 8-3 and won the Southwest Conference championship. During this period, Arkansas developed rivalries with Texas and Texas A&M because of their intense conference match-ups.

Frank Broyles era (1958–1976)

Missouri head coach Frank Broyles was hired as the Razorbacks head football coach in 1957 and served in that position for 19 years. Arkansas would grow into a national power with Broyles at the helm, including several conference championships and a national title. Arkansas would earn a share of the 1959 SWC Championship, splitting with Texas. Arkansas lost only to No. 3 Texas and No. 6 Ole Miss during the season. The Hogs went to Jacksonville and defeated Georgia Tech in the 1960 Gator Bowl 14–7, avenging an earlier Cotton Bowl Classic defeat. Barry Switzer was a co-captain on the team. Some, including University Chancellor and student during 1958, John White,Forde, Pat. "Legendary Arkansas icon's run nears finish line." May 31, 2007.ESPN. Retrieved on February 4, 2009. view the Razorback football team during this period as a revival of Arkansas, which was recovering from the Little Rock Nine and racial segregation problems.

The 1960s was the best decade in Arkansas football history. 1960 brought another SWC crown, and a Cotton Bowl Classic invitation for the Hogs, who were ranked as high as 7th during the season.Final AP Top 20. 1960 AP Poll. Infoplease.com. Retrieved on February 4, 2009. The Razorbacks lost to No. 2 Ole Miss and No. 20 Baylor, but defeated No. 11 Texas in Austin, bringing the championship to Fayetteville.Major Conference Champions. 1960 SWC Champions. Infoplease.com. Retrieved on February 4, 2009. The Hogs lost to Duke, 7–6, because of a blocked extra point.Bowl Games with Top 20 Teams. 1960 Bowl Results. Infoplease.com. Retrieved on February 4, 2009. The following season brought another shared SWC championship with Texas.Major Conference Champions. 1961 SWC co-champions. Infoplease.com. Retrieved on February 4, 2009. The Hogs were defeated by the Longhorns 33–7, as well as the No. 9 Ole Miss Rebels, warranting an invitation to New Orleans, Louisiana, for the Sugar Bowl. No. 1 Alabama defeated the Razorbacks 10–3.Bowl Games with Top 20 Teams. 1961 Bowl Results. Infoplease.com. Retrieved on February 4, 2009. The Crimson Tide had been declared national champions before the game, which was the procedure at the time. The Hogs would fight this system in 1964, when the same Alabama team would claim the 1964 AP crown before losing the Orange Bowl to the Texas Longhorns, a team Arkansas defeated in Austin, Texas, during the regular season. Arkansas won the Cotton Bowl Classic over Nebraska, 10–7.

Broyles' team was awarded the 1964 National Championship by the Football Writers Association of America and the Helms Athletic Foundation. The FWAA and HAF awarded their national championships to Arkansas, who was the only team to go undefeated through the bowl games that year. At the time, the Associated Press (AP) and UPI awarded their national titles before the bowl games, and gave their trophies to the Alabama team that would lose in the Orange Bowl game a few days later. The next season, 1965, the Razorbacks were 10–0 in the regular season, and were once again the Southwest Conference Champions. That sent the Razorbacks back to the Cotton Bowl Classic on New Year's Day, this time to play against LSU. Because of the controversy in determining the national champions in 1964, the AP poll would wait until after the bowl games to announce its champion. With top-ranked Michigan State losing in the Rose Bowl, the No. 2 Razorbacks had a chance to become national champions, but were defeated 14–7 by the Tigers.

Arkansas would return to the field in 1966 ranked fifth, but losses against unranked Baylor and Texas Tech would prevent the 8–2 Hogs from playing in a bowl game. Loyd Phillips was a consensus All-American defensive tackle on the team."1966 Consensus All-America Team." infoplease.com. 1966 All-Americans. Retrieved 2009-10-04. Phillips also took home the Outland Trophy."Outland Trophy." FWAA.List of All-time winners. Retrieved 2009-10-04. After struggling to a 4–5–1 record in 1967, the Hogs went 10–1 and returned to the postseason in 1968. No. 9 Arkansas defeated No. 2 Georgia in the Sugar Bowl, 16–2. Sophomore receiver Chuck Dicus scored the only touchdown of the game for the Razorbacks. In 1969, the Razorbacks had another chance to claim the national title, when No. 2 Arkansas played the No. 1 Texas Longhorns, coached by Darrell Royal, at Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The game, known as "The Big Shootout" or the Game of the Century, is perhaps the most notable football game in Razorbacks history. Arkansas led 14–0 at after three quarters, but Texas stormed back and took a 15–14 lead on a two-point conversion, after a questionable passing play was called late in the game by then coach Frank Broyles, which was intercepted by Texas. President Richard Nixon was in attendance, and proclaimed Texas the national champions, even though they had a bowl game to play, and Penn State was also undefeated. Arkansas lost to Ole Miss in the Sugar Bowl, 27–22, and Texas beat Notre Dame in the Cotton Bowl Classic for the national title.