John Calipari jokes that he was ‘on crack’ when putting together Arkansas’ wildly difficult schedule
Arkansas coach John Calipari joked that he must have been “on crack” when arranging what he called a “ridiculous” non-conference schedule. The demanding run of games is intended to teach his players to win under pressure, but his comments suggest he now sees the slate as tougher than expected.
Arkansas opens against Arkansas-Pine Bluff on 3 November, then faces Virginia, Michigan State, Arizona and Indiana, with those latter match-ups on neutral courts. The Razorbacks also visit North Carolina on 1 December; it is their only true away game before SEC play begins in January. Arkansas was picked third in the SEC preseason poll, and is seeking to replace Darius Acuff Jr., the seventh pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, after reaching the Sweet 16 in each of Calipari’s first two seasons.
- Calipari joked he was “on crack” when setting Arkansas’ challenging schedule.
- The Razorbacks face several major non-conference opponents.
- North Carolina is their only true road game before SEC play.
New here? Start with this
John Calipari is Arkansas’s men’s basketball coach, and the Razorbacks compete in the Southeastern Conference (SEC), whose regular-season games begin in January. Before then, teams play a non-conference schedule that can include opponents from other leagues.
Big-name opponents such as Virginia, Michigan State, Arizona, Indiana and North Carolina give Arkansas a demanding test before SEC play. Coaches may choose tough early-season games to prepare players for pressure, while balancing the challenge of building a team with new players.
Arkansas is looking to replace Darius Acuff Jr., who was selected seventh in the 2026 NBA Draft. The team reached the Sweet 16 in each of Calipari’s first two seasons, and was picked third in the SEC preseason poll.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
A demanding non-conference schedule can prepare Arkansas for the pressure and quality of competition it will face in the SEC and the NCAA tournament. Games against strong opponents also give the team meaningful tests early in the season and may help it build confidence if it performs well.
The case against
A schedule this difficult could leave little room to develop a reshaped team before conference play, especially after losing a key player. Tough games can expose weaknesses, but a heavy run of them may also bring avoidable losses or injuries and make it harder to build momentum.