The Eastern football team announced Tuesday that it will open its 2018 season against SEC opponent Arkansas. The Razorbacks announced it Monday as part of their future opponents.

The game is set for Sept. 1 in Fayetteville, Arkansas.

It will be the first time the Panthers will take on an SEC opponent in their program history.

Eastern does have a little bit of Arkansas in it as head coach Kim Dameron played his college ball there and was also a graduate assistant coach under Hall of Fame coach Lou Holtz after earning his degree.

Dameron played from 1979-1982 and played in four bowl games including the 1979 Sugar Bowl.

Eastern has four players on its team including Iziah Gulley, Cornelius Page, Jordan Jackson and Kylin Washington and two incoming recruits Marcus Bornslatter Jr. and Jonathan McCoy that are from Arkansas and will have eligibility for that game.

Current running back redshirt senior Korliss Marshall spent two seasons playing for the Razorbacks before transferring to Eastern.

Arkansas finished the 2016 season with a 7-6 record and a 3-5 record in SEC play. The Razorbacks picked up wins against the Ole Miss Rebels, Florida Gators and Mississippi State Bulldogs.

They were handed losses by Alabama (49-30), Texas A&M (45-24), Auburn (56-3), LSU (38-10) and Missouri (28-24). The Virginia Tech Hokies beat the Razorbacks in the 2016 Belk Bowl 35-24.

Over the last three seasons the Panthers have squared off against Big 10 opponents Northwestern and Minnesota. Eastern lost both games by large margins.

Eastern finished its 2016 season with a 6-5 overall record and a 4-4 record in the Ohio Valley Conference.

The Panthers missed out on the FCS Playoffs in 2016.

Sean Hastings can be reached at 581-2812 or [email protected]