Quarterback
Luke Del Rio (95-164-6, 1129 yards, 8 TDs), 5-0 as the starter, faces his first road test. He is 33 of 63 (.524) in past 2 games after missing 2 games in 4 weeks with a sprained left knee. Del Rio's passing efficiency (124.53) would rank 10th in the SEC if he qualified. Austin Appleby (44-72-1, 470 yards, 3 TD) went 1-1 as the starter. Florida (228.4 ypg) is 71st in passing.
Austin Allen (155-249-7, 2,051 yards, 18 TDs) is expected to play after suffering a sprained knee 2 weeks ago. Allen is 2nd in SEC passing efficiency (149.58), tied for 1st with 18 TDs, and 3rd with 256 passing yards per game. His 7-game streak with at least 2 TD passes ended at Auburn. Ty Storey (1-4-0, 3 yards) or Cole Kelley are the backups. The Hogs are 45th in passing (256.4 ypg).
ADVANTAGE Arkansas
Running backs
The Gators had been rotating 4 tailbacks until Jordan Scarlett (93-468, 6 TDs) took the bulk of the work last week. Freshman Lamical Perine (63-333, 1) was the top backup as Mark Thompson (57-262, 2) was suspended for a game. Jordan Cronkrite (26-112, 1) is back after missing last week. Scarlett has a streak of 6 consecutive games with a rushing TD. The Gators (170.1 ypg) are 67th in rushing.
Re-establishing Rawleigh Williams (153-807, 5) and Devwah Whaley (57-317, 1) is imperative after the Hogs rushed for 25 yards at Auburn. Williams averages 5.3 yards per carry, while Whaley is at 5.6. T.J. Hammonds (9-31, 1) and FBs Hayden Johnson and Kendrick Jackson are also in the mix. Arkansas is 86th in rushing (160.4).
ADVANTAGE Even
Receivers/Tight Ends
Antonio Callaway (27-441, 2 TDs) is the Gators' top pass catcher and best deep threat. DeAndre Goolsby (26-216, 1) and C'yontai Lewis (9-106, 1) make a good tandem at tight end. Freshman Tyrie Cleveland (7-137, 1) is coming on, along with slot receiver Brandon Powell (25-218, 2). Cleveland averages 19.6 ypc; Callaway 16.3.
Drew Morgan (41-420, 2), Keon Hatcher (28-435, 5), Jared Cornelius (24-465, 4), Cody Hollister (9-139) and Dominique Reed (8-138, 1) will have to play physical against the Gators' strong DBs. Jeremy Sprinkle (20-215, 4) should be more involved after being slowed by an ankle injury. Austin Cantrell (9-75) helps at TE.
ADVANTAGE Arkansas
Offensive Line
Three Gators have 15 or more career starts, led by C Cam Dillard, LG Martez Ivey, the SEC lineman of the week, and LT David Sharpe. They have started all 7 games. Freshman RT Jawaan Taylor is a 340-pound mauler. RG Tyler Jordan should make his fifth start of the season. The Gators are 75th in total offense (398.6 ypg) and 18th in sacks allowed (1.29 pg).
Two veterans -- C Frank Ragnow and LT Dan Skipper -- anchor the line, while the others battle to improve on the job in the SEC West. Jake Raulerson (ankle) and Hjalte Froholdt are the top guards. RT Brian Wallace (ankle) is questionable. Could be changes in store for Hogs. Arkansas is 61st in total offense (416.8 ypg) and 98th in sacks allowed (2.63 pg).
ADVANTAGE Florida
Defensive Line
The Gators will rotate 8-9 players, led by disruptive DT Caleb Brantley (13, 1 sack), freshman DE Jabari Zuniga (15, 5 sacks, 6 hurries), DEs Jordan Sherit (22, 3 sacks), CeCe Jefferson (17, 4 hurries) and Bryan Cox (14, 2 TFL) and DTs Joey Ivie (10, 3 hurries) and Khairi Clark (8). The Gators (105.6 ypg) are 10th in rushing defense.
Deatrich Wise (36, 3 sacks, 5 hurries) is battling injuries, so JaMichael Winston (5) might play more. Jeremiah Ledbetter (31, 3.5 sacks, 2 PBU), Taiwan Johnson (17, 1 sack, 2 hurries) and McTelvin Agim (14, 1.5 sacks) are the top DTs, though coaches have hinted at tweaks. The Hogs (221.8 ypg) are 110th in rush defense.
ADVANTAGE Florida
Linebackers
Former Hogs assistant Randy Shannon tutors a group led by Jarrad Davis (55, 6 TFL, 4 PBU, 4 hurries) and Alex Anzalone (45, 3 sacks, 6 hurries). Davis, the leader of the unit, is a semifinalist for the Butkus and Bednarik Awards. Florida (239.9 ypg) is 2nd in total defense.
Senior Brooks Ellis (57, 4 TFL, 3 PBU, 1 INT) is on track to be the team's leading tackler for the second consecutive season. Dwayne Eugene (17, 1 INT) and De'Jon Harris (14, 1 FF) are getting more work with Dre Greenlaw (36) out with a broken foot. Arkansas (428 ypg) is 87th in total defense.
ADVANTAGE Florida
Secondary
Cornerbacks Jalen 'Teez' Tabor (12, 1 sack, 4 INTs) and Quincy Wilson (9, 3 PBU, 3 INTs) each returned an interception for a touchdown vs. Missouri. SS Marcus Maye (38, 1 sack, 1 PBU, 1 INT) and FS Nick Washington (26, 1 INT) make a lot happen. The Gators (134.3 ypg) are 2nd in passing yards allowed and 1st in pass efficiency.
Safeties Josh Liddell (41, 2 TFL, 2 PBU) and Santos Ramirez (29, 2 PBU, 2 FF) will appreciate assistance from a healthier De'Andre Coley (22, 2 FR, 2 FF). Corners Ryan Pulley (27, 10 PBU, 1 INT), Jared Collins (14, 4 PBU) and DJ Dean (10, 1 PBU) will get some deep tests. The Hogs (206.3 ypg) are 37th in passing yards allowed and 46th in pass efficiency.
ADVANTAGE Florida
Special Teams
Johnny Townsend leads the SEC and is 3rd nationally with a 47.6 punting average. Freshman Eddy Pineiro, a former Alabama commitment, is 10 of 14 on FGs, with misses from 32 and 33 yards the past 2 games. Antonio Callaway has a career punt return average of 10.8 yards but he's made a few bad decisions in 2016. Chris Thompson (27.5 avg.) added spark to KORs last week.
Toby Baker, who is 7th nationally with a 45.6 punting average, joined Townsend on the Ray Guy Award list. Adam McFain has gone 4 of 4 on FGs in the past 3 games, including a 54-yarder at Auburn. Drew Morgan (11.3) and Jared Cornelius (6.5) can be dangerous on punt returns. The Hogs are 118th in kickoff returns (17.4).
ADVANTAGE Florida
Intangibles
The Gators are No. 11 in the first College Football Playoff rankings without playing a very difficult schedule. The Gators, in control of the SEC East, have to get past the fact that Arkansas lost 56-3 to Auburn in its most recent game. Coach Jim McElwain said the Gators will embrace the challenge of playing an opponent it plays infrequently on the road. The Hogs might be Florida's toughest game to date.
Which team will show up? The one that battled well against SEC West powers Alabama, Texas A&M and Ole Miss, or the one that caved on both lines at Auburn? The Razorbacks, coming off an open date, would like to swing the pendulum back to positive after the Auburn beatdown, and a victory over the SEC East front runner would do just that. The Hogs should look like a different team after their open date.
ADVANTAGE Arkansas
Sports on 11/05/2016