Mississippi State (1-6, 0-4 Southeastern Conference) hosts Arkansas on Saturday at Davis Wade Stadium for an 11:45 a.m. kickoff on SEC Network.
The Razorbacks (4-3, 2-2) are much improved from 2023 under head coach Sam Pittman, but have been up and down all season. Arkansas racked up nearly 650 yards of offense in a double overtime loss at Oklahoma State and picked up a signature win on Oct. 5 over then-No. 4 Tennessee, but the Razorbacks also slogged through a win over lowly Alabama-Birmingham and are coming off a blowout home loss against LSU.
To learn more about this Arkansas team, The Commercial Dispatch chatted with Christina Long, who covers the Razorbacks for Whole Hog Sports and the Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
Editor’s note: This conversation has been lightly edited for clarity and brevity.
The Commercial Dispatch: It’s certainly been an up-and-down year for Arkansas through seven games. What have you learned about this team at this point in the season?
Christina Long: Arkansas has been one of those teams where you never know what version of it you’re going to get. You might get the one that has turnover problems, misses opportunities, struggles to pressure the quarterback or where Taylen Green is missing reads and making bad throws. Or, you might get the version with a stifling defense, dominant run game and a Green who limits mistakes. The Razorbacks have blown leads, made comebacks and everything in between.
The Dispatch: In what areas have the Razorbacks grown the most from last year to this year?
Long: Arkansas struggled running the ball last season, finishing in the bottom five in the SEC in rushing yards per game and yards per carry. Before Week 8, the run game had been a pretty reliable go-to for Arkansas. Lead back Ja’Quinden Jackson started the season as a game-changer but recently has had trouble staying on the field with various injuries. He left the game against LSU late with an ankle injury, but Sam Pittman didn’t seem to think it would be a major issue postgame. Freshman Braylen Russell has also been an exciting newcomer whose workload has increased over the course of the season. Arkansas got away from its run game against the Tigers, and even when the Razorbacks did turn to the ground game, they couldn’t get much going. In general, though, this team’s rushing attack has been a big improvement from a season ago.
The Dispatch: What will be the biggest challenges Arkansas’ offense will pose?
Long: The ground game is certainly a threat, especially if Jackson is healthy enough to start. Green’s ability to run has been a problem for opposing defenses, too. He’s been under pressure too often this season, and that’s led to some risky throws and accuracy problems. But he can also extend plays with his legs and actually do damage on the ground with his length and surprising speed.
The Dispatch: What are your thoughts on this Razorbacks defense, and what does it need to do to slow down Mississippi State’s offense?
Long: Arkansas’ defense has kept it in games when its offense has struggled to score. The loss to LSU was odd in that the Razorbacks struggled against the run, which was a first for them this season. Arkansas has also been inconsistent in getting pressure on opposing quarterbacks. That was improving in recent games, but against a strong LSU offensive line, the Razorbacks couldn’t break through. It seems to me Mississippi State tends to rely more on its passing attack, so the Razorbacks will need to have a better performance in pass defense than it did last week. They can’t afford to let a ground game get going, which they did against the Tigers despite their relative lack of success on the ground this season, and they’ll need to be strong up front.
The Dispatch: Arkansas will win if…
Long: The defense gets back to its usual ways. The Razorbacks had an off day against LSU, and they need to avoid it becoming a trend. Mississippi State’s offense has been improving, but Arkansas should be able to contain it. If the Razorbacks can get some pressure on Michael Van Buren and keep the lid on the Bulldogs’ run game like they have against most others this season, they should be able to give the Arkansas offense plenty of chances.
The Dispatch: Arkansas will lose if…
Long: It gives away the ball. Turnovers have killed Arkansas this season. In their big win against Tennessee, the Razorbacks didn’t have any giveaways. When they lost to LSU, they had three. This isn’t a defense that tends to generate many turnovers, either. The defense can keep Mississippi State in check, but Arkansas has to capitalize on its own possessions rather than cutting them short with costly turnovers. That’s something it hasn’t always done.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 36 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 36 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
