The Mississippi State Bulldogs play host to the Arkansas Razorbacks on Saturday afternoon from Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field in a crucial SEC showdown. The Razorbacks come in fresh off back-to-back losses but are hoping that a return home could change their fortunes. For the Bulldogs, two wins in a row for their group has helped to improve the momentum for this group. Last year, the Razorbacks skirted by a three-point win at home, while with two wins in a row in the series overall, things are trending forward for the Razorbacks and they'll be hoping to shift the momentum back into their favor in this one. For the Bulldogs, being at home could be crucial for this group, in what is expected to be one of the top SEC matchups of the weekend.
The Razorbacks found themselves in the top ten just a few weeks ago but a brutal stretch of games continues for this group into this weekend. Arkansas has lost two in a row heading into this one, two weeks ago against Texas A&M and then at home last week to Alabama. Now, they go back to the road as they take on Mississippi State in a game that they need to stop the bleeding. This is the start of a three-game road stretch, with BYU coming next, and considering their struggle in their lone road game so far, trouble could continue for this team. The Razorbacks have won two in a row in the series and the hope is that this group can draw from some of that confidence in this one. Going on the road in the SEC is never easy and Saturday won't be any different in this one.
As if things couldn't be worse for the Razorbacks, the injuries continue to mount for this group. The key player to keep an eye on is KJ Jeffers on (head), who is questionable for the weekend tilt. As one of the most athletic quarterbacks in the country, he would be a certain miss. With another quarterback ruled out in Kade Renfro (knee), the quarterback situation appears potentially bleak for this group.
Wide opennn spacesssss pic.twitter.com/4lS61hSV9D
— Arkansas Razorback Football (@RazorbackFB) October 1, 2022
Offensively, Arkansas was expected to have one of the most dangerous groups in college football, though they've struggled to match those expectations. The ground game has been elite, where they rank ninth nationally in rushing yards per game, and that'll need to be a focus in this one to keep the Bulldogs' offense off the field. Turnovers have haunted this group and with a young quarterback at the helm potentially, that could be a struggle again this weekend. It seems likely that things will fall on the shoulders of Raheim Sanders at running back and with his 5.8 yards per carry, moving the chains and controlling the clock will be key.
The defensive side of things has been a massive concern for the Razorbacks this season and given what they'll be facing, it could be a long day of playing catch-up for this group. The Razorbacks rank 113th nationally in defensive yardage, 100th in scoring defense, and 124th in passing def ense. Considering Mississippi State's elite passing attack, that's an area where the Razorbacks will need to flip the script. A pair of linebackers in Bumper Pool (46 tackles) and Drew Sanders (43 tackles) lead the way but with a thinned-out secondary, their leadership might not matter.