FAYETTEVILLE - Arkansas is staring at a 13.5-point underdog spot against No. 15 Tennessee on Saturday, and that number makes plenty of sense if you’ve followed the Razorbacks this season.
The path to an upset starts with two problems Arkansas has not solved: getting its offense rolling early and preventing teams from controlling the ground game. Tennessee brings the 14th-ranked rushing attack in the country into Fayetteville, along with running back DeSean Bishop, who piled up 220 yards last week against Auburn. If Arkansas is going to flip the script, it has to do something it has not consistently done this year - land the first blow.
“Coach Cramsey always talks about throwing the first punch,” said TE Jaden Platt. “The first few weeks, we didn't throw the first punch at all. You know, we, kind of as an offense, we were taking steps back.”
Against Texas A&M, Arkansas managed only seven points, but the run game at least showed signs of life. While QB KJ Jackson had a rough outing, the Razorbacks still produced 103 rushing yards, with Braylen Russell and Sutton Smith both breaking off multiple meaningful carries.
“if we can just keep building on that, get the run game established, then I think we'll be in a good position,” Platt said.
That same kind of urgency applies on the other side of the ball. Defensive coordinator Ron Roberts said Tuesday he would throw up in the press box if Tennessee runs for 200 yards Saturday, and Arkansas spent the week focused on making sure that doesn’t happen. The Volunteers may be leaning even harder on Bishop with backup QB George MacIntyre set to start, and Bishop has already produced 540 yards while averaging 6.1 yards per carry through five games.
“They’re physical. They’ve got a good scheme,” said LB Ja'Quavion Smith.
“They like to use they tight ends a lot. It ain’t nothing we ain’t never seen, though.
Just key plays and we’ve just got to execute and everybody do their job.”
Smith said the answer against Bishop is simple: finish tackles and get bodies to the football.
“He's a good, little stocky running back,” Smith said. “So, you know, you got to come hit and wrap up, and that's what it's gonna be. Everybody, all 11, just swarming to the ball.”
Even if Arkansas slows Tennessee on the ground, that alone won’t solve everything. But it would be a start - and for the Razorbacks, it would be the kind of start that could finally keep them competitive deeper into the second half, something they haven’t managed in three games against Power Four opponents.
In Other News...
ProHogs Are Starting To Make Serious Noise On Sundays
Sunday is starting to look like a familiar stage for a growing group of former Arkansas standouts, and Week 3 gave the ProHogs another chance to make their presence felt. Isaac TeSlaa turned in a career-high 95 receiving yards, while Dre Greenlaw piled up 12 tackles and added a forced fumble, the kind of production that keeps Razorback fans tracking the NFL box scores long after their college season ends.
The depth of that alumni list is part of the appeal now, with multiple former Hogs seeing game action across different teams and building out their early-season stat lines. There are more chances coming soon, too, and the next round of matchups should give Arkansas followers another reason to keep an eye on Sundays as this group continues to carve out roles at the pro level. [Read more 🡒]
Arkansas Catches Tennessee In A Risky Spot Before A Bigger SEC Test
George MacIntyre is about to get his first career start for Tennessee when the Volunteers line up against Arkansas, a development that adds another layer of uncertainty to a game already carrying plenty of weight. MacIntyre stepped in for Faizon Brandon during Tennessees recent win after Brandon went down with a shoulder injury, and now the Vols are handing him the offense with a chance to show he can steady it in a tougher, more visible spot.
For Arkansas, the timing matters because this is the kind of opponent that can expose whether Tennessee has a quarterback situation settled or still in flux. The bigger issue may be waiting one week later, when Alabama comes into view and Tennessees starter there could hinge on Brandons recovery and whatever MacIntyre does in his first outing. [Read more 🡒]
Braelyn Combe Just Gave Arkansas Another Reason To Believe
Braelyn Combe is already giving Arkansas plenty to like in the early stretch of the cross country season. The freshman won her first collegiate race at the Chile Pepper Festival, covering the 5,000-meter course in 15:59.0, a mark that landed as the third-fastest time in the meets history and quickly earned her SEC Runner of the Week and SEC Freshman of the Week recognition.
For a program that measures itself by how well it can develop and close races, Combes debut was the kind of result that turns heads fast. She edged UT Arlington sophomore Dorcas Jepkosgei by one tenth of a second, a finish that hinted at a runner who is already comfortable in pressure moments, and perhaps only beginning to show what she can bring as the meets get bigger and the competition gets tougher. [Read more 🡒]