Arkansas heads into Saturday’s trip to Vanderbilt still searching for answers away from home, and the numbers explain why.
In its two road games this season, the Razorbacks have managed just 8.5 points per outing. That includes a 43-10 loss at Utah in Week 2, when Arkansas scored 10, and a 34-7 loss at Texas A&M in Week 5, when it mustered only seven. On the road, the Hogs are averaging 259.5 total yards, with 177.5 coming through the air and 82 on the ground.
That makes the third quarter against Tennessee a point of emphasis heading into Saturday’s 6 p.m. CDT kickoff in Nashville. Arkansas put up 288 total yards in a 24-17 loss to the Volunteers, and 113 of its 133 rushing yards came in that third quarter alone.
"That's one of the things we've got to get better at," Arkansas head coach Ryan Silverfield said on Monday. "Obviously we know going into Vanderbilt, another road game.
Playing very good defenses, certainly, in every game, but on the road I don't think it's any different, the mindset and the approach. I think it's how do we get into sync, how do we get into rhythm?
"A lot of our issues on offense are those self-inflicted wounds. You look at [junior running back Braylen Russell's ] long run and we get called for holding.
Another opportunity we get called for a chop block. Where [sophomore running back Cam Settles ] slips on the grass and they get called for a high low on that.
It's just unique things.
"But on the road just staying ahead of it and finding ways to be efficient. That's the whole deal with us offensively.
Can you be consistent? Really establishing the run as we saw in the third quarter, it gives our offense an opportunity to look like it's clicking with all cylinders."
Arkansas will see a Vanderbilt defense that has had its own issues. The Commodores are allowing 29.5 points per game, which ranks 117th nationally, along with 353.5 yards of total offense per game, 214 passing yards and 139.5 rushing yards.
Vanderbilt’s defense is in its second season under coordinator Steve Gregory, who also served as associate defensive coordinator and secondary coach in 2024. Gregory already knows the system and culture Clark Lea has built there.
Silverfield said Arkansas has looked sharp in practice, but that hasn’t carried over into wins. With the Razorbacks at 2-4 overall and 0-3 in the SEC, he knows the road issues still need a fix.
"I'm not going to bury my head in the sand and say no, this is the way we always do things. Because believe me, if there's something, if it's changing the pasta bar the night before, I'll do whatever. If it's putting on suits and ties, which I'm sure everybody's, my players if they hear this are probably rolling their eyes.
"But the focus level's been there, the mindset's been there. Obviously some interesting environments.
We're going now with our third straight night away game. The scheduling, I'd love to go play one of those 11 a.m. away games, but just again, continue to find ways to execute.
"I think as we continue to look at hopefully the progression that we're making as a team shows up, and we need to show up on the road, and ultimately find a way."
In Other News...
Arkansas Just Got More At Stake In The SEC NIL Fight
The SEC has taken a significant step toward reshaping how its schools handle player compensation, with league presidents voting to adopt uniform name, image and likeness and revenue-share contracts across the conference. The move takes effect immediately and puts the SEC in line with the Big Ten as the second power conference to standardize athlete deals, a change that gives schools a clearer framework for sharing up to $21.6 million in revenue with players this academic year.
For Arkansas, the decision raises the stakes in a rapidly changing recruiting and roster-building environment, where league-wide consistency can matter as much as money itself. The contracts still leave room for customization and include legal provisions similar to those used in the Big Ten, but the bigger question now is how closely SEC schools will align in practice and what this new structure means for competitive balance moving forward. [Read more 🡒]
Arkansas' Fourth Quarter Failure Left One Offensive Question Looming
Ryan Silverfield spent a lot of time after Arkansas 24-17 loss to No. 15 Tennessee looking back at the fourth quarter, where the offense never really found its footing. The Razorbacks had trouble sustaining drives when it mattered most, and the numbers reflected it: they were 0-for-9 on third downs of three yards or more, a stretch that made every possession feel heavier as the game tightened.
One sequence in particular stood out, a critical third-and-10 call that ended with a running back draw and left plenty to sort through afterward. Silverfield also addressed Braylen Russells role in the offense, saying the back needs to grow into a more complete player as Arkansas tries to find answers moving forward, which only adds to the larger question of how this group generates reliable production late in games. [Read more 🡒]
Arkansas Heads Into Vanderbilt With Its Offense Under Pressure
Arkansas is heading into Vanderbilt still searching for a more reliable offensive identity under coach Ryan Silverfield and offensive coordinator Tim Cramsey. After the recent loss to Tennessee, the questions around this group have only sharpened, with roster decisions, player development and in-game adjustments all coming into focus as the Razorbacks try to get the unit on steadier ground.
Vanderbilt offers the next chance to show whether those issues are being addressed in real time or are still lingering from week to week. For Arkansas, the challenge is less about flash than about execution, and the offense needs to show it can adapt when the game script shifts instead of waiting for the next reset. [Read more 🡒]