Arkansas heads into Saturday night’s matchup with Tulsa carrying a different kind of pressure than the Golden Hurricane. The Razorbacks are searching for something they can finally build on, while Tulsa arrives with a chance to notch its second win over a Power Conference opponent this season.
The most eye-catching edge in this game may belong to Tulsa’s defense. Tre Lamb’s group has been stingy against the run, and it has yet to allow a rushing touchdown. That puts the Golden Hurricane among just seven teams in the country that have kept opponents out of the end zone on the ground.
One of the biggest reasons is Davis, who has been a steady force up front despite being a bit undersized for a defensive lineman. Through three games, he has piled up nine total tackles, five tackles for loss, four sacks and seven QB hurries. He’ll be staring straight at an Arkansas offensive line that has already given up 10 sacks this season.
Tulsa’s defense has also kept points off the board in general, surrendering only three touchdowns so far. That kind of pressure matters because Arkansas has not been able to settle into a clean rhythm through the air. The Razorbacks have spread passes around to wideouts, running backs and even a quarterback, but the passing game may be due for a smaller, more dependable list of targets.
There is still some bite in the Arkansas offense, though. The Razorbacks are No. 14 nationally and No. 3 in the SEC in big pass plays, even if quarterbacks KJ Jackson and AJ Hill have combined for only one completion of 40 yards or more. And if Arkansas can get to 30 points, history says it usually likes its chances: Ryan Silverfield is 45-10 in his head coaching career when his teams hit that mark, and Arkansas is 1-0 this season when it reached 30 against North Alabama in Week 1.
Tulsa, meanwhile, will bring a run game that has been one of its best offensive weapons. The Golden Hurricane are averaging just over 220 rushing yards per game, and that ground attack is not limited to one runner. Quarterback Dexter Williams II has also shown he can make things happen with his legs.
For Arkansas, the challenge is also about limiting the right receiver. Marshall has been a tough cover, especially against zone looks, and has turned short catches into bigger gains. He ranks No. 3 in the SEC in both receiving yards with 278 and receptions with 19, and he has led Arkansas in receiving yards in every game.
The series history is lopsided, too. Arkansas leads the all-time matchup 55-15-3 and has won 19 straight, a streak that dates back to the final Frank Broyles team of 1977. The Razorbacks have survived close calls before, including games in 2008 and 2012, and also handled Tulsa 23-0 in 2018.
Arkansas and Tulsa kick off at 7 p.m. Saturday at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium, with the game available on the ESPN App on SEC Network+.
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Arkansas Has A New Star But One Concern Still Looms
Arkansas got the kind of individual breakthrough that can reshape a cross country meet, with Isca Chelangat winning the title at the eighth annual Gans Creek Classic in meet-record fashion. Chelangat finished in 18 minutes, 58.4 seconds, giving the Razorbacks a marquee performance even as the team race never quite followed the same script.
The Razorbacks tied for fourth in team scoring before dropping to fifth on a tiebreaker with North Dakota, a reminder that one standout run does not fix everything for a squad with bigger ambitions. Arkansas now turns to the Chile Pepper Festival on Oct. 3 in Fayetteville, where the team will get another chance to see whether that individual star power can start to lift the rest of the lineup. [Read more 🡒]
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After Georgia, that matters. Games like this can serve as a reset or a reminder, depending on how Arkansas handles them, and the backdrop only heightens the expectation that the Razorbacks should look in control. The recent run against Tulsa has been so one-sided that anything less than another solid showing would stand out, even with the bigger-picture numbers and coaching histories still framing the season around it. [Read more 🡒]
Arkansas Cross Country Just Sent A Message Before Bigger Tests Ahead
Arkansas used the Gans Creek Classic to make an early-season statement, leaving Columbia with both the individual and team titles at Missouris eighth annual meet. Ernest Cheruiyot led the way for the No. 16 Razorbacks by winning the 8,000-meter race in 22:32.8, while Nick Busienei backed him up with a second-place finish as Arkansas put together a 69-point effort to top Tennessee and a field that included other strong programs.
For a group that has bigger tests ahead, the kind of depth Arkansas showed matters as much as the trophy itself. Winning at this stage does not settle anything, but it does give the Razorbacks a benchmark after holding off quality competition, and it leaves them with a little extra buzz as the schedule tightens and the stakes rise. [Read more 🡒]