1985 Arkansas Razorbacks football team

The 1985 Arkansas Razorbacks football team represented the University of Arkansas as a member of the Southwest Conference (SWC) during the 1985 NCAA Division I-A football season. Led by second-year head coach Ken Hatfield, the Razorbacks compiled an overall record of 10–2 with a mark of 6–2 in conference play, placing in a three-way tie for second in the SWC. Arkansas was invited to the Holiday Bowl, where the Razorbacks defeated Arizona State. The team played home games at Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville, Arkansas and War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock, Arkansas.

1985 Arkansas Razorbacks football
Holiday Bowl champion
Holiday Bowl, W 18–17 vs. Arizona State
Conference	Southwest Conference
Ranking
Coaches	No. 12
AP	No. 12
Record	10–2 (6–2 SWC)
Head coach	Ken Hatfield (2nd season)
Offensive scheme	Option
Defensive coordinator	Fred Goldsmith (2nd season)
Home stadium	Razorback Stadium War Memorial Stadium
Seasons ← 1984 1986 →

1985 Southwest Conference football standings

v t e	Conf.							Overall
Team	W		L		T			W		L		T
No. 6 Texas A&M $	7	–	1	–	0			10	–	2	–	0
No. 12 Arkansas	6	–	2	–	0			10	–	2	–	0
No. 17 Baylor	6	–	2	–	0			9	–	3	–	0
Texas	6	–	2	–	0			8	–	4	–	0
SMU	5	–	3	–	0			6	–	5	–	0
Houston	3	–	5	–	0			4	–	7	–	0
Rice	2	–	6	–	0			3	–	8	–	0
Texas Tech	1	–	7	–	0			4	–	7	–	0
TCU	0	–	8	–	0			3	–	8	–	0
$ – Conference champion Rankings from AP Poll

Arkansas ranked eighth in the nation with 265.6 rushing yards per game. On defense, the Hogs gave up only 11.7 points per game, the sixth-best in college football. Arkansas lost two games by a total of six points. In a 15–13 home loss to Texas, the Longhorns made all five of their field goal attempts, while Arkansas missed two of four. Razorback punt returner B. J. Edmonds finished ninth in college football with 11.6 yards per return.

The victory in the Holiday Bowl would be the only bowl game win during Hatfield's tenure as head coach, from 1984 to 1989. The Razorbacks did not win another bowl game until the 1999 season.

Schedule

Date	Opponent	Rank	Site	TV	Result	Attendance	Source
September 14	at Ole Miss*	No. 14	Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium Jackson, MS (rivalry)		W 24–19	52,110	[1]
September 21	Tulsa*	No. 14	War Memorial Stadium Little Rock, AR		W 24–0	55,112	[2]
September 28	New Mexico State*	No. 10	War Memorial Stadium Little Rock, AR		W 45–13	54,984	[3]
October 5	at TCU	No. 10	Amon G. Carter Stadium Fort Worth, TX	Raycom	W 41–0	40,112	[4]
October 12	at Texas Tech	No. 6	Jones Stadium Lubbock, TX (rivalry)		W 30–7	38,464	[5]
October 19	Texas	No. 4	Razorback Stadium Fayetteville, AR (rivalry)	ABC	L 13–15	53,212	[6]
October 26	Houston	No. 14	War Memorial Stadium Little Rock, AR	Raycom	W 57–27	53,860	[7]
November 2	at Rice	No. 14	Rice Stadium Houston, TX		W 30–15	13,976	[8]
November 9	No. 11 Baylor	No. 12	War Memorial Stadium Little Rock, AR	ABC	W 20–14	54,684	[9]
November 16	at Texas A&M	No. 9	Kyle Field College Station, TX (rivalry)	ESPN	L 6–10	58,632	[10]
November 23	SMU	No. 18	Razorback Stadium Fayetteville, AR		W 15–9	51,644	[11]
December 22	vs. Arizona State*	No. 14	Jack Murphy Stadium San Diego, CA (Holiday Bowl)	Lorimar, USA	W 18–17	50,641	[12]
*Non-conference game Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game