Behind the 8 ball

LITTLE ROCK - To the rest of college football, today’s Arkansas-Mississippi State match up might look like the least interesting SEC game of the weekend and maybe even the entire regular season.

It’s still significant to both teams.

Arkansas (3-7, 0-6 SEC) has lost seven consecutive games and must win today at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock to avoid the longest losing streak since it started playing football in 1894.

“I’m tired of losing,” said Coach Bret Bielema, who will not take a team to a bowl game for the first time in his head coaching career. “I think that’s very, very certain. I think our players are as well.

“When this egg gets cracked, it’s going to be a good deal, and hopefully they get a taste for it to do it several times in a row.”

Mississippi State (4-6, 1-5) is riding a three game losing streak and must win today and against arch-rival Ole Miss in next week’s Egg Bowl to become bowl eligible.

“We’re kind of backed into a corner, you know, having to win this game to keep our chances of going to our fourth straight bowl alive,” Mississippi State Coach Dan Mullen said. “Mississippi State has never been to four straight bowl games.

“From what they told me, we’ve never won in the state of Arkansas. We have a great opportunity to do that as well, so I see some great opportunities.”

The Razorbacks are 9-0-1 against Mississippi State in Arkansas and 15-5-1 overall since joining the SEC in 1992. The teams tied 13-13 in the 1993 meeting. Arkansas leads 15-7-1 all-time, losing in 1916 and 1939.

Arkansas, in its 120th season of playing college football, has never lost eight in a row.

“We don’t talk in numbers of eight; we talk a 1-0 mentality,” Bielema said.

“We just want to win a game,” senior captain Kiero Small said. “We just want to win Coach B’s first SEC game. Winning these last two would be big.”

Mississippi State, which has lost its past five games in Arkansas by an average margin of 26.4 points, is a 1 ½-point favorite today, and for good reason.

The teams have matching 0-4 records against common opponents - Alabama, Auburn, South Carolina and Texas A&M - but the Bulldogs’ average loss in those games is 20 points less than Arkansas’ 31-point average margin of defeat. Plus, Mississippi State played three of those opponents on the road, while Arkansas had three of them at home.

Bielema said he has been encouraged by the team’s energy level even with a school-record-tying losing streak hanging around their necks.

“I’m amazed, probably more than I ever could imagine, about the resiliency of this group,” Bielema said. “I don’t think it’s a matter of them not caring. I see them fight for four quarters.

“They’ve gotten kidney punched I don’t know how many times, and they keep getting back up. I see seniors pouring their heart and soul into winning. I see our seniors care a lot about us as coaches.”

One advantage Arkansas holds this week is the game’s timing. The Razorbacks, who did not play last week, face a Bulldogs team coming off a hard-fought 20-7 loss to No. 1 Alabama. By contrast, Arkansas’ first six SEC opponents either had a bye or a noncompetitive nonconference game.

Mullen said bouncing back from tough games is what playing SEC football is all about.

“That’s why guys want to play here,” he said. “They come to Mississippi State to play the best teams in the country, to have that challenge every single week, so they’re used to it. They know to expect it.

“I’ll be honest with you, they know they’re going to have their hands full this week with Arkansas.”

The Razorbacks will try to establish a running game that ranks 27th nationally (209.7 yards per game) against the 39th-ranked run defense of Mississippi State while adding balance with quarterback Brandon Allen and their passing game.

Tailback Alex Collins, the nation’s leading rusher among true freshmen, needs 54 yards to hit the 1,000-yard mark, while sophomore Jonathan Williams is 217 yards shy of that plateau.

Bielema said sophomore cornerback Will Hines would be available for the first time since breaking his arm Oct. 5 at Florida, but that Hines would not start. Redshirt freshman Jared Collins is preparing for his first start at corner, while junior Tevin Mitchel or true freshman D.J. Dean is expected to start at the other corner slot.

Mississippi State has not revealed its quarterback plans, with senior Tyler Russell and redshirt sophomore Dak Prescott rehabbing from injuries. Mullen said his starting quarterback would probably be a game-time decision.

The Razorbacks have tried not to ponder what losing an eighth consecutive game would mean.

“I don’t think anyone’s even thought about that,” Allen said. “It’s not something that we’re too concerned with. We go into every week thinking we have a chance to win.”

Traffic flow changes for today’s game

Little Rock police will redirect traffic flow today for the Arkansas-Mississippi State game at War Memorial Stadium.

Markham Street traffic will continue in both directions as normal, but the following changes will apply before the game: Fair Park from Interstate 630 will be one way, flowing north to Zoo Drive, where traffic will be diverted onto War Memorial Golf Course.

Fair Park from Markham will be one way, south to Zoo Drive, where traffic also will be diverted onto War Memorial Golf Course.

Jonesboro from 12th Street will flow in both directions as normal.

7th Street will flow one way west toward the stadium to Monroe.

Monroe from Markham will be converted to one way flowing south to 7th Street. After the game: Fair Park to Interstate 630 will flow one way south to the interstate. Fair Park to Markham will run one way north to Van Buren. Van Buren will be converted to one-way traffic flowing north to Kavanaugh. Jonesboro to 12th Street will run one way south to 12th Street. 7th Street will run one way east away from the stadium to Cedar. Traffic exiting the east lot onto Monroe will be split, with the north exit turning left to Markham and the south exit continuing onto 7th Street Those with reserved tailgating space may enter as early as 6 a.m.. Gates open at 7 a.m. for those without reserved tailgating space. All tailgaters must be cleared out by 5 p.m.