Time to be a broken record, as we wrote this same thing the last time Arkansas played an SEC team.
This is the biggest game of the Arkansas season, folks.
The Razorbacks host Mississippi State today at 3 p.m. at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium. Both teams are 5-3, but the visitors are the ones ranked inside the College Football Playoff top 25. With those records, too, each team is one win away from bowl eligibility. While the Bulldogs have a game left against FCS, meaning they will almost certainly hit the six-win threshold, Arkansas plays LSU at LSU, Alabama at Alabama and finishes with Missouri, a team the Hogs have lost to five straight times.
Getting a victory over Mississippi State would avoid the late-season crunch.
Every Saturday morning on Hogs football gamedays, you will find Wayne and Oxford giving three picks on events that will take place in that day’s game. One of those picks has to be a little bit off the wall, something that could happen, but it’d be wild if it did.
Picking Arkansas to complete a pass to Treylon Burks, for example, is a bad prediction for these purposes. Picking Burks to have eight catches and 100 yards, that’s better. Also picking, say, a penalty for targeting, another nice one. It’s unlikely, but has potential.
Want to join? You’re probably better at it than we are. Make your picks in the comments section on the Razorbacks Wire at your favorite social media site.
Without further ado, welcome to 3 Predictions, 1 Crazy, Arkansas-Mississippi State.
This Will Happen
Oxford: Arkansas 31, Mississippi State 27
Wayne: Arkansas 38, Mississippi State 35
Arkansas is favored to win the game by ESPN’s Football Power Index, but no one expects a blowout. Both Wayne and Oxford are in line with the consensus here. It should be a fun Saturday.
This Might Happen
Oxford: KJ Jefferson throws for 250 yards and three touchdowns
Wayne: Razorbacks break 200 yards on the ground
Arkansas averages 249 yards rushing per game, so it doesn’t seem like this is much of a ledge. But Mississippi State is only giving up 90 yards rushing each time out. Not a single of the Bulldogs’ eight opponents have cracked the 200-yard mark. Alabama came closest with 195.
Jefferson is key and his passing even more so. If he’s throwing for that many yards, or, at least, throwing for big plays, it should open the ground game for the Razorbacks.
This Is Crazy
Oxford: Nathan Parodi gets another punt return touchdown
Wayne: Game will be tied three or more times
Wayne’s is oddly specific, but the gist is that Arkansas and Mississippi State is going to be close. Crazy close. The Razorbacks aren’t in desperation mode, nor are the the Bulldogs, but a finish like Arkansas had against the other team in the Magnolia State seems possible.
Parodi’s punt-return touchdown against Arkansas-Pine Bluff two weeks ago was the first such score in a decade the Razorbacks have had. Getting two in two straight games certainly qualifies as crazy.
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