FAYETTEVILLE – It by no means does any good to make evaluations of groups earlier than their first video games, particularly on this world of NIL. It is most likely not going to be way more correct after a single week, so regardless of the actual fact readers are most likely free to print this and use it for lavatory paper later within the 12 months, let’s take a crack at it.
Choosing wins and losses would particularly be a fruitless labor, so this record will rank groups based mostly on an analysis of whether or not groups have the mandatory strengths wanted to offer them the perfect alternative to be a harmful match-up for the Razorbacks.
To supply a little bit of perspective for perusing the record, Cincinnati would have are available in at No. 3 had they nonetheless been on the schedule.
No. 11
There is a very actual likelihood Missouri could have already been eradicated from bowl rivalry and Eli Drinkwitz shall be extra targeted on recruiting than preparing for the Razorbacks. Plus, barring accidents, Arkansas might be certainly one of three groups competing for a spot within the SEC championship recreation.
The Tigers appear to be they’re going to have a good working recreation, however run protection is a energy of the Hogs.
Mizzou additionally gave up 24 factors to a Louisiana Tech crew coming off a three-win season that’s common at passing and dreadful within the run recreation. Arkansas seems to be a wonderfully balanced scoring machine on offense, and that is earlier than this group develops full chemistry.
No. 10
The Flames fairly merely aren’t that good. They needed to go 4 overtimes to beat a Southern Miss crew that solely gained three video games final 12 months.
Nonetheless, Hugh Freeze’s crew is balanced, which is able to a minimum of hold the Arkansas protection trustworthy.
Changing Malik Willis is an unattainable job. Liberty ran by means of three quarterbacks within the win, combining to finish roughly 50% of their passes whereas tossing an interception for each six completions.
No. 9
Missouri State struggled in opposition to Central Arkansas this week, 27-14, however their rating above Missouri comes with a number of caveats.
First off, the battle of the Bears has occurred a lot amongst these two extremely revered FCS groups the previous few years that their familiarity robotically causes them each to look their worst.
Nonetheless, the 2 largest caveats contain Bobby Petrino returning to precise a little bit of revenge on Arkansas and the Bears’ passing recreation. As Cincinnati proved, even at full well being the Arkansas secondary is weak to letting receivers run free.
No. 8
The Tigers virtually got here again to get a win over hapless Florida State in a glorified house recreation, however discovered probably the most LSU methods to verify a win wasn’t going to occur.
If you wish to get a really feel for 2022 LSU soccer simply skip forward to the ultimate 2:22 of the sport.
LSU seems worse than it has since Barry Lunney, Jr. ran the choice for the Hogs in Fayetteville. Former Arkansas Razorback Joe Foucha makes his return from educational suspension simply in time to debut in opposition to Auburn, however it’s arduous to think about him making sufficient of a distinction to tug this crew collectively.
Arkansas will get the Tigers after a run by means of Tennessee, Florida, Ole Miss and Alabama in that order. Except one thing adjustments dramatically in Baton Rouge, the LSU crew that wanders into Fayetteville on Nov. 12 shall be battered and missing confidence.
Kelly introduced a Notre Dame type of play to LSU that has by no means fared nicely in opposition to SEC groups. There’s excessive dysfunction within the passing recreation that offers the vibes that not each present receiver will make it to Fayetteville on the roster.
The Tigers seem to pose little menace to the Hogs’ weak spot. The passing recreation would not prolong a lot additional than linebacker depth and the working recreation is restricted to quarterback Jayden Daniels.
LSU cannot block, which isn’t good contemplating what followers noticed out of Terry Hampton this previous week. Disarray would possibly very nicely be the secret by the point Arkansas sees this crew.
No. 7
Nicely, that wasn’t what anybody anticipated to see in Columbia.
Georgia State led within the third quarter, Spencer Rattler was all over within the passing recreation, and the Panthers working recreation was flattening South Carolina earlier than a pair of blocked punts had been scooped up by the Gamecocks for a pair of touchdowns to safe the win.
A weak run protection paired with an erratic quarterback who throws twice as many interceptions as touchdowns whereas main an offense to solely 21 factors of offense in opposition to Georgia State just isn’t a recipe for fulfillment in opposition to Arkansas.
It is clear the South Carolina coaches do not belief Rattler with the sport on the road, which ought to make Saturday very attention-grabbing.
No. 6
Auburn can not block. As an example that once more. Auburn cannot block.
The 42-16 win over Mercer wasn’t almost as spectacular because the rating suggests. Tank Bigsby put up 147 yards, however took a whole lot of punishment he should not have on this recreation.
Tigers quarterback TJ Finley tends to lock onto a single receiver, which ought to make issues just a little simpler for a struggling Razorback secondary.
That being stated, that is the primary crew on the schedule to really feel like an actual menace to probably beat Arkansas. Nonetheless, that has extra to do with the unusual issues that are inclined to occur when these two meet up on the sphere than the crew Bryan Harsin goes to placed on the sphere.
This recreation could come down as to if the Razorback teaching workers chooses to make use of stairs or take the elevator.
No. 5
With this recreation being in Provo, it was initially slotted larger. Then BYU performed a recreation.
That is undoubtedly not your grandfather’s Cougars. As an alternative of flinging it round, which might have made for a horrible match-up for the Hogs, BYU is closely devoted to the working recreation.
The one true menace for Arkansas on this crew is a child by the title of Puca Nacua. He is a real athlete who shall be all around the discipline.
Nacua went 75 yards for a landing off a jet sweep on BYU’s first play of the season. He is a strong mixture of pace and quickness.
The unhealthy information for Arkansas is BYU bought off to such a robust begin with its working recreation that produced 312 yards on the bottom, that Cougars quarterback Jaren Corridor bought to spend time constructing in-game chemistry along with his receivers to tack on one other 261 yards of offense.
Eight receivers had 20+ yards receiving, which isn’t excellent news for Arkansas. If the BYU passing recreation is rolling in addition to its working recreation at present is when the Hogs hit Provo, it will likely be a tough day.
No. 4
If that is the perfect crew cash should buy then somebody must get a refund.
That is borderline the most effective collections of expertise in all of faculty soccer, however nothing tamps down expertise like a Jimbo Fisher offense.
The largest takeaway for Arkansas is how the Sam Houston State defensive entrance was capable of dominate the A&M offensive line. Sure, the Bearkats are as massive of an influence as there’s on the FCS stage, however it’s nonetheless not Energy 5 soccer.
The road of scrimmage is the place the largest distinction between ranges is meant to be most evident.
The opposite main subject for Texas A&M is at quarterback. Haynes King has wheels and can trigger Arkansas matches when he breaks containment.
Nonetheless, within the passing recreation, King seems to have Brett Favre’s gunslinger mentality with out Farve’s accuracy.
King is Johnny Manziel with out Mike Evans bailing him out each different throw. The adverse aspect for the Razorbacks is the Aggies protection seems reliable, which is able to make for a wild afternoon on the Loss of life Star in Arlington.
No. 3
The Rebels pulled off the win final season in what was voted the school soccer recreation of the 12 months. If this recreation wins recreation of the 12 months after what North Carolina and Appalachian State did in Boone, North Carolina this previous week, somebody’s head is actually going to blow up.
Ole Miss was not spectacular in opposition to Troy, which left head coach Lane Kiffin visibly pissed off. Nonetheless, the Rebels confirmed sufficient to create real fear for the Razorbacks, particularly defensive coordinator Barry Odom.
Zach Evans and Jalen Robinson do not look human.
There’s not a strategy to truly cease them. Arkansas will simply need to hope to sluggish them down.
The excellent news for the Razorbacks is Rebels quarterback Jaxon Dart has little regard for care of the soccer and possession thereof.
Dart is fast to fireplace a ball to a common 5 yard by 5 yard sq. of the sphere with no regard as to what occurs to it as soon as it arrives there. There shall be loads of alternatives for interceptions if the secondary can pull itself collectively because the season progresses.
The unhealthy information is Dart is extremely gifted at working what often is the quickest offense to ever take the sphere. The time between performs is not than a child’s breath.
Conditioning and self-discipline goes to be key. Not sprinting again into place after each play is unacceptable and defensive backs shall be dragging within the fourth quarter.
This shall be a psychological check of will for the Hogs.
No. 2
Arkansas has slowly closed the hole on the Crimson Tide and almost pulled the upset in Tuscaloosa final season.
Alabama involves Fayetteville to kick off October following a recreation with Vanderbilt. Usually back-to-back-to-back weeks with Texas, UL-Monroe and Vanderbilt would enable Saban to place it in cruise management and spend three weeks recreation planning for the Razorbacks.
Nonetheless, it is doable Vanderbilt enters that recreation undefeated if the Commodores can pull off an upset of Wake Forrest this weekend, which is able to power Alabama to place a minimum of minimal effort in preparing for Vandy.
The Tide not maintain the psychological edge over Arkansas they as soon as did. That feeling of helplessness has moved to Athens the place the Bulldogs stored the Razorbacks’ grit tacked to a wall with a view of the hedges the previous two years.
Saban’s crew is all the time right down to have a street recreation come right down to the wire with a doable upset loss every season. That chance has handed round between Ole Miss and Texas A&M, however Arkansas is because of tackle the mantle in some unspecified time in the future.
It is arduous to gauge how good Alabama truly is that this 12 months. Although Utah State was presupposed to be Alabama’s massive non-conference recreation this 12 months after posting an 11-3 report and No. 24 end within the remaining polls, the Aggies wrestle with UConn the earlier week proved this recreation was going to disclose nothing.
Simply assume it is the identical crew as final 12 months, simply in Fayetteville as an alternative of Tuscaloosa.
No. 1
Take a second to recollect this record is about which crew has the perfect instruments to beat Arkansas, not the perfect crew within the convention.
Whereas Alabama is likely to be the perfect crew on the Arkansas schedule, Mississippi State is a monster created particularly to take down this specific Arkansas crew.
Not solely are the Bulldogs extremely motivated following a irritating loss to the Hogs final 12 months, will play among the many cowbells in Starkville and have a potent Air Raid offense that requires greatness from eight defensive backs when Arkansas is struggling to get greatness out of 1, quarterback Will Rogers has achieved Jedi stage mastery of Mike Leach’s offense.
Rogers made it look easy whereas finishing 38 passes for 450 yards and 5 touchdowns in opposition to a salty Memphis crew. He helped produce three receivers of 20+ yards, three receivers of 30+ yards and three receivers of 60+ yards.
Mississippi State proved Week 1 the Bulldogs can’t solely put up huge numbers by discovering weaknesses within the secondary, however discovering a strategy to chew up clock in a cross heavy offense.
That could be a unhealthy recipe for Arkansas. Quarterback KJ Jefferson will want each drop of stoic management to win in what shall be an epic shootout if the Razorbacks are in it.
On one essential notice, Mississippi State kicker Massimo Biscardi hit all seven of his discipline objective makes an attempt. Nonetheless, nobody is aware of if he can hit a discipline objective beneath stress in a recreation state of affairs for the reason that Bulldogs by no means needed to kick a discipline objective.
For many who do not recall, failures within the kicking recreation is what saved Arkansas from taking a loss in Fayetteville final season.
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WATCH: ANDY HODGES TALKS HOW THIS IS DEFINITELY KJ JEFFERSON’S TEAM
WATCH: ANDY HODGES TELLS US WHAT WE DON’T KNOW FOR SOUTH CAROLINA
LOOKING AT 5 THINGS IN WIN OVER CINCINNATI A LOT OF PEOPLE MAY NOT HAVE REALLY NOTICED
GETTING BIG PLAYS AT RIGHT TIME LIFTED HOGS PAST CINCINNATI IN SEASON OPENER
TREY KNOX PUT FILM AGAINST CINCINNATI THAT WILL SCARE SEC TEAMS
PERSONAL JOURNEY BRINGS REASON TO BE EXCITED FOR KICKOFF AGAINST CINCINNATI THAT’S DIFFERENT FROM RAZORBACK FANS
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW FOR HOGS-CINCINNATI OPENER SATURDAY
PLAYOFF EXPANSION CAN REALLY BENEFIT RAZORBACKS
RAZORBACK FANS HAVE BELIEVED FOR NEARLY 60 YEARS THEY ACTUALLY WON A NATIONAL TITLE WITH FOUR VOTES
WHO STARTS AT QB FOR CINCINNATI WILL DETERMINE VERY DIFFERENT GAME PLANS FOR BEARCATS
SEC ROUND-UP: KELLY HAS LSU CALLING TEENAGERS AFTER MIDNIGHT ON SCHOOL NIGHT, AUBURN HAS AD INTEREST, PLUS MORE
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