Marcus Freeman and the No. 22 ranked Notre Dame Fighting Irish head down to Fayetteville to take on the Heartbreak Hogs. The name fits the bill for the Arkansas Razorbacks so far this season, as they sit at 2-2 on the season and are coming off a (for lack of a better term) heartbreaking loss. The Irish haven’t been much better this season, losing their first two opening games, including dropping one at home to the then No. 16, now, No. 9 Texas A&M Aggies, in a way that would also shatter anyone’s hopes at the last second. Now these two squads face off this Saturday to kick things off on ABC, and we’ve found our favorite picks.
Editor’s Note: While Notre Dame is slightly a larger favorite than previously, I still have faith in them getting the job done.
More NCAA Football Coverage
- #21 USC vs. #23 Illinois
- #4 LSU vs. #13 Ole Miss
- Auburn vs. #9 Texas A&M
- #6 Oregon vs. #3 Penn State
- #17 Alabama vs. #5 Georgia
- #25 BYU vs. Colorado
Go to Betting News to check out what else I’ve got on the slate for Week 5, and view the latest odds at the best online sportsbooks.
#22 Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs. Arkansas Razorbacks NCAA Football Insights
Taylen Green and Arkansas have lost two straight games
Notre Dame opened up the season by losing to the No. 10 ranked Miami Hurricanes in South Beach by just a field goal, but the Hurricanes dominated from start to finish. The Irish scored 17 points in the fourth quarter to tie things up and give the fans some faith, but the Canes kicked a game winning field goal with a minute to go. Marcus Freeman and company relished in that loss for two weeks, and hosted Texas A&M after a bye week, losing 41-40 in their home opener.
The Irish scored a touchdown with less than three minutes on the clock to go up 40-34, and opted to go for two, in which they failed. Marcel Reed led the Aggies down the field for a game tying touchdown with 13 seconds on the clock, followed by a Randy Bond extra point to seal the victory. Last week, they blew out Purdue, but still allowed 30 points to the Boilermakers, only seven in the second half.
Arkansas opened up with two cupcake wins, and people started talking… “Are the Hogs back?”… “Could this be the year Pittman runs the SEC?”… “Is our heartbreak finally over?”… Slow your roll, Hogs fans. It just got real.
After beating Alabama A&M and Arkansas State by a combined score of 108-21, the Hogs went down to Ole Miss and couldn’t get a win. The Hogs put up 28 first half points, but allowed 31 from the Rebels, and were outscored 10-7 in the second half to lose by six. Last week, they went to Memphis and led 28-17 at halftime. However the Hogs put up just three points in the second half, including fumbling within 10 yards of the end zone to lose on the road, 32-31.
And looking at their schedule, they might not be able to buy another win.
Matchup Information – Notre Dame vs. Arkansas – September 27
- Venue & Location: Razorback Stadium (Fayetteville, AR)
- Date: Saturday, September 27, 2025
- Kick Off: 12:00 p.m. Eastern
- Broadcast: ABC
Notre Dame vs. Arkansas Betting Odds
Odds are courtesy of BetOnline, one of our favorite online sportsbooks, as of September 27, 2025 at 8:42 a.m. eastern. Sign up today with Promo Code BNBOL55 for a 55% deposit bonus.
Spread
- Notre Dame -4.5 (-105)
- Arkansas +4.5 (-115)
Moneyline
- Notre Dame -182
- Arkansas +159
Total
- Over 64 (-110)
- Under 64 (-110)
#22 Notre Dame vs. Arkansas NCAA Football Picks and Predictions
Eli Raridon and the Irish perform well with their backs against the wall
Notre Dame vs. Arkansas Prediction: Notre Dame Wins & Covers, Over 64.5
Best Bet: Notre Dame -4 (-108) BetOnline
Do not be afraid of this number. There are some books hanging -3.5 (which is what I snagged), and I don’t think there is a reason to be afraid of the hook. Arkansas can’t win close games, and this Irish team is in a very familiar spot.
Last season, basically this same Irish team lost in Week 2 to Northern Illinois at home. People counted them out, but Freeman knew his team could still compete. Notre Dame went on to win 13 straight games before losing the National Championship. But the point is, their backs were against the wall, and they delivered. They are in the exact same spot.
If Notre Dame wins out, they end up 10-2 on the season, with two losses (early in the year) to two other potential College Football Playoff teams. In my mind, that’s enough to get the Irish in again. Sure, their potential only ranked win would be over No. 21 USC at home, but again, those two losses aren’t that bad, and they are early. If the Irish win nine more games, in dominating fashion, they’ve got to at least be talked about.
That is all the more reason for Freeman and the Irish to leave it all on the field and potentially run up this score against an Arkansas defense that has given up 36.5 points to teams that matter. I think this could get ugly, with the Irish winning by double digits (Notre Dame -9.5 is priced at +164)
Still Didn’t Get Your NCAA Football Fix?
Here at Betting News, we offer Free Expert Picks for every major sports league. We also host daily streams on our Twitch Channel with our best bets, as well as sweat out games on Playback! Be sure to tune into everything we have going on at our Youtube, TikTok, and X pages as well.
- SEC Football Preview
- Big Ten Football Preview
- Big 12 Football Preview
- ACC Football Preview
- Tulane Win Total Predictions
Get FREE Picks and Props Weekly
Sign up for
THE WEEKENDER NEWSLETTER