Led by Ken Hatfield in his sixth and final season as head coach, the Razorbacks compiled an overall record of 10–2 with a mark of 7–1 in conference play, winning the SWC title for the second consecutive year.
His average of 1.82 per game tied as best in the SWC, and was surpassed only by future NFL kicker Chris Gardocki from Clemson.
As a team, the Razorbacks were the seventh-best rushing offense in college football, with an average of 314.2 yards per game on the ground.
Ken Hatfield led Arkansas to back-to-back SWC titles in 1988 and 1989, coaching the Razorbacks to an overall record of 20–4 and 14-1 against conference opponents over those two seasons.
However, due to a sour relationship with athletic director Frank Broyles, Hatfield left Arkansas to become the head football coach of Clemson University after the season.