FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas is staring at another trend and this time it’s not a particularly good one.
After back-to-back losses to Texas A&M and Alabama, the reeling Razorbacks hit the road for a month, going to Starkville at Davis Wade Stadium against No. 23 Mississippi State on Saturday.
That trend they will be trying to break to avoid becoming the 10th Hogs in the last 11 years to lose three games in a row during the season.
And they might have to do it without quarterback KJ Jefferson, who will likely be a game-time decision Saturday.
Next week won’t be any better, going on the road to Provo, Utah, against No. 16 Utah.
Game Notes:
• Arkansas, which is receiving votes in the AP Top 25 Poll and checked in at No. 25 in the USA Today Coaches Poll, faces yet another ranked opponent on Saturday. Mississippi State is ranked No. 23 by both the AP and coaches.
• This year’s schedule, which has featured four ranked FBS opponents in the first six games, is Arkansas’ “toughest” schedule since last season, when the Razorbacks also faced four ranked FBS opponents in their first six games. Since 2020, 21 of Arkansas’ 27 FBS opponents have either been ranked or received votes in the national polls.
• Jefferson continues to wreak havoc on opposing defenses through the air and on the ground, but his status for the game is not known. Jefferson has completed 80-of-121 passes (66.1%) for 1,096 yards and nine touchdowns with one interception while rushing for 312 yards and four scores through five games. Entering this week, Jefferson is the only FBS quarterback to throw for over 1,000 yards and run for over 300 yards this season.
• Running back Raheim “Rocket” Sanders is the Razorbacks’ leading ball carrier through five games, totaling 609 yards on 105 carries (5.8 avg.) with four scores on the ground. He leads the SEC in both rushing yards (609) and rushing yards per game (121.8) while ranking second in all-purpose yards (625) this season. Sanders, who has also caught 10 passes for 136 yards and a touchdown, is the only FBS player with 600+ rushing yards and 100+ receiving yards on the season.
• Wide receiver Jadon Haselwood leads Arkansas’ receiving corps through five games this season with a team-high 24 catches for 251 yards (10.5 avg.) and a pair of touchdowns. A transfer from Oklahoma, Haselwood has caught three or more passes in each of his first five games as a Razorback and has tallied at least one reception in 17 consecutive games dating back to the start of the 2021 season.
• Linebacker Drew Sanders has quickly emerged as one of the top defensive playmakers in all of college football. Sanders has racked up 43 total tackles (22 solo) with a team-leading 7.5 tackles for loss and a team-high 6.5 sacks through five games. Sanders, who leads all FBS defenders in sacks, has tallied at least half a sack in all five games.
Game Information: Arkansas Razorbacks vs. Mississippi State Bulldogs
Date/Time: Saturday, Oct. 8, at 11 a.m.
Where: Davis Wade Stadium, Starkville, Mississippi
Betting via SI SportsBook
Spread: Mississippi State -9.5
Over-Under: 57.4
Moneyline: Arkansas +250 (-118), Mississippi State +-376(-110)
TV-Streaming: ABC (Dave Neal, Deuce McAlister, Tiffany Blackmon), FuboTV (try it free)
Radio Streaming: Listen online at HitThatLine.com or on the radio at ESPN Arkansas 99.5 in Fayetteville, 95.3 in the River Valley, 96.3 in Hot Springs and 104.3 in Harrison-Mountain Home. You can hear it on satellite radio SiriusXM channel 106 or 192 and SXM App channel 963.
