NCCA College Football Week 11 - #13 Tennessee @ #11 Arkansas
#13 Tennessee @ #11 Arkansas
Saturday, 7:00 pm Eastern
ESPN 2
Opening Line: Arkansas - 5.5
One of the most underrated and off the radar teams this season in college football is Arkansas. That may be about to change. The 11th-ranked Razorbacks look to take another step toward a spot in the SEC title game when they host No. 13 Tennessee on Saturday. Although this might be a well known fact amoung bettors and handicappers alike, the public has been all over Tennessee with the points at SBG Global.
Arkansas (8-1, 5-0) is the only SEC team without a conference loss and is on top of the league's West Division. If they can get wins in two of their last three games they will wrap up a trip to the SEC championship game and face Florida.
''We're on an eight-game roll. We're undefeated in the best conference in the country. I don't know why we aren't getting any respect,'' defensive lineman Keith Jackson said. Arkansas' only loss came in its season opener on Sept. 2, when it lost 50-14 to seventh-ranked Southern California.
Arkansas is a 5.5 point favorite at SBG Global.
This season, Arkansas has a rushing attack that ranks fourth in the nation with 238.9 yards per game. Darren McFadden is averaging 115.3 rushing yards a game. Last week's win did produce a quarterback controversy, as Nutt pulled freshman Mitch Mustain after he threw an interception and replaced him with Casey Dick, who finished with 228 passing yards.
Nutt named Dick his starter for this weekend's game on Sunday. Dick started the last four games as a freshman last season, but had back problems earlier this year. ''It's one word; it's experience,'' Nutt said. ''That's all it is. Both these guys will continue to get reps. We will go with Casey as a starter (against Tennessee) but we need both of them.''
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The Volunteers also have questions at quarterback. Redshirt freshman Jonathan Crompton entered the game when Eric Ainge tweaked his left ankle. Crompton threw for 183 yards, two touchdowns and one interception on 11-of-24 passing. ''He certainly showed a lot of toughness and aggressiveness and effort,'' coach Phillip Fulmer said.
''Typical of a young guy that was getting a multitude of coverages and things, there were some things he certainly could have done better. With time and work and continued progress he'll do those things better.'' Ainge is a game time decision.
''It's real hard going out there practicing knowing we can't play for the national championship or games like that,'' linebacker Jerod Mayo said. ''But we're doing way better than last year and basically we're playing to set the table for next year. We feel like if we win these next three games we'll be at a good bowl and we'll carry on from there.''
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