Arkansas football will host the Mississippi State Bulldogs in a conference matchup on Saturday.
The No. 25 Razorbacks, who suffered consecutive losses against Texas A&M and Alabama and fell to the bottom of the USA TODAY Sports AFCA Coaches Poll, will look to bounce back with win against the No. 23 Bulldogs. Meanwhile, Mississippi State is looking to start a winning streak at home after dominating the Aggies 42-24 last week.
However, if the Razorbacks have to play without quarterback KJ Jefferson, things can get ugly.
Will the Razorbacks bounce back against the Bulldogs? Here’s what our experts had to say.
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Christina Long, Arkansas beat reporter
Mississippi State 42, Arkansas 35 — Arkansas’ defense is likely to struggle against Mississippi State’s high-scoring passing attack. Players like Drew Sanders and Jordan Domineck will get pressure on Rogers, but he’ll combine his arm with the run game to overcome the Arkansas secondary. The Razorbacks’ running backs will present a challenge for Mississippi State’s defense, but Arkansas will fall in its first true road game of the season.
Stefan Krajisnik, Mississippi State beat reporter
Mississippi State 35, Arkansas 17: A banged up KJ Jefferson, if he plays, won’t have a fun return to the field against Zach Arnett’s defense. The MSU defensive coordinator isn’t afraid to be aggressive, and against Texas A&M, the Bulldogs finally got home on sacks. Scoring 35 points is a lot against a quality Arkansas defense, but this MSU offense is rolling and it’s scoring touchdowns instead of field goals. It’ll be another dominant weekend for Mike Leach and Co.
Blake Toppmeyer, SEC columnist
Mississippi State 34, Arkansas 21: Arkansas’ pass rush is the best part of its defense, but despite leading the SEC in passing attempts, MSU quarterback Will Rogers does not get sacked often. That’s partially a product of the Air Raid system, designed to get the ball out of the quarterback’s hand quickly. I’d predict a closer game if I was more confident Arkansas quarterback KJ Jefferson would play, but he got banged up against Alabama. Without him, I see slim hope for the Hogs.
John Adams, senior sports columnist
Mississippi State 30, Arkansas 27: If you appreciate quarterback diversity, you couldn’t hope for a better matchup. Arkansas’ KJ Jefferson comes from the Tim Tebow school of quarterbacking. He’s as apt to run over a defensive back as throw over him. Contrast that with how Mississippi State’s Will Rogers functions in coach Mike Leach’s Air Raid offense. He will counter Jefferson’s power with finesse and will venture outside the pass pocket only under extreme circumstances. But Rogers passes with uncanny accuracy and is exceptional at quickly spotting the most open receiver. If you have noticed Arkansas’ pass coverage recently, you know there will be open receivers.
