Following a lackluster home showing against LSU over the weekend, the Arkansas Razorbacks will look to reverse course with a bounce back performance as rare road favorites Saturday in Starkville.
“We need to rewatch and learn,” said starting quarterback Taylen Green after a 34-10 thumping from the Tigers. “We have a great opportunity to bounce back if we keep learning and working hard.”
Green and the Hogs will not be able to embrace the usual underdog role as they opened up as more than a touchdown favorite against a Mississippi State team that is riding a six-game losing streak despite showing week-to-week improvement of late under first-year coach Jeff Lebby.
“They’ve got a good football team. Sometimes, everybody looks at their record. Who’d they play,” said Arkansas coach Sam Pittman. “They’re a scary team to go in there and play with the cowbells going off and off that.
“Ever since the Toledo game, I think they’ve just gotten better and better.”
As Pittman noted, Mississippi State regrouped following a disastrous 41-17 home loss to Toledo and played much better against superior competition in recent weeks. The Bulldogs earned respect in hard-fought, 10-point losses to Georgia and Texas A&M in their last two outings.
Arkansas “should” be able to take care of business, but it will be facing a different type of pressure in what is increasingly feeling like a must-win at Davis Wade Stadium, a place the program has only left victorious twice since 2010.
“They’re all important,” Pittman said. “To go get another road win would be big for us. To get another victory and get to 3-2 in conference would be really big. We certainly want and need that.”
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Perhaps the biggest piece to the puzzle is Bobby Petrino getting his offense out of neutral. The Razorbacks are coming off season-lows in points scored, total yardage and rushing against LSU and will likely need to outpace is 17.5 points per game against SEC competition to pick up a win.
Mississippi State’s Swiss cheese defense is giving up nearly 40 points per game in conference play. The Bulldogs typically either give up points or come up with a takeaway, which looms large against an Arkansas team that outpaces only Auburn in the SEC with a -5 turnover margin.
With bell cow running back Ja’Quinden Jackson doubtful for the game with an ankle injury, the Razorbacks are expected to turn to true freshman Braylen Russell to shoulder the load and re-establish the run game.
“I trust all of them, but let’s saddle up Braylen Russell. Let’s go,” Pittman said. “I think he’s ready to go. I’ve already met with him, called him in and said ‘Hey man, you want it, go take it.’
“I think he’s a really good player. He needs some confidence. We’ve got to get him rolling early in the game. I believe wholeheartedly in him.”
Defense has been the strong suit for Arkansas under coordinator Travis Williams, but the Razorbacks showed some vulnerabilities on that end against LSU despite holding the Tigers more than 50 yards below their season average.
Mississippi State’s offense will look familiar as Lebby’s schemes mirror much of what Kendall Briles did at Arkansas. The Bulldogs are led by emerging true freshman Michael Van Buren.
“We had K.B. here and he’s in that same tree as Lebby and obviously his daddy. If you press them, the are going to throw deep. They’re connecting on those plays. They’ve got speed at wide out. Van Buren can throw the deep ball.
“The way he’s running the offense, they’ve done a really good job with him. He’s done a good job too. He’s a real good player and very accurate with his throws. We are going to have to get in front of him. We’re going to have to move him at times. I am sure they’re very pleased with him. He’s been awesome for them.”
Arkansas and Mississippi State will kick off at 11:45 a.m. (CT) on Saturday from Davis Wade Stadium in Starkville. The game will air on SEC Network.