FAYETTEVILLE — Brooks Ellis has seen a steady growth in his four seasons at Arkansas, from winless in the Southeastern Conference as a freshman in 2013 to an improvement in win total each year since.
The Razorbacks middle linebacker still has hope of continuing that streak this season, with Arkansas (6-3, 2-3 SEC) needing three more wins to top the eight it finished with a season ago.
Ellis played a role in helping the Razorbacks keep those hopes alive last week with a 31-10 win over previously No. 10-ranked Florida, and he expects to do the same when Arkansas hosts No. 19 LSU (5-3, 3-2) on Saturday.
If the senior is brimming with confidence against the now Ed Orgeron-led Tigers, it's with good reason. The Razorbacks have won two straight over their rivals to the south, doing so in convincing fashion — outscoring LSU by a total of 48-14 over that stretch.
"We've done it in the past, so we know we can do it again," Ellis said.
The biggest factor in Arkansas' recent two-year run of dominance against the Tigers has been its defense against the run.
In short, the Razorbacks have completely taken away LSU's ability to do just that — holding the Tigers to only 95 yards rushing on 62 carries over the last two games. Even star LSU running back Leonard Fournette has struggled to produce a breakout game against Arkansas, though Orgeron expects a much different result on Saturday.
"I expect (Fournette) to play well," Orgeron said. "I expect him to come back with a great attitude. I expect him to shake it off and have a good game against Arkansas and finish strong."
Some other things to watch as Arkansas tries for its third straight win over the Tigers, something the Razorbacks haven't done since the 1927-29 seasons:
LINE MOVEMENT: Two weeks after allowing 543 yards rushing in a loss to Auburn, Arkansas held Florida to only 12 yards rushing on 14 carries a week ago. The Razorbacks were aided by several personnel changes on defense, including increased playing time for talented freshman defensive tackle McTelvin Agim and a move to defensive end for senior Jeremiah Ledbetter.
RUNNING TIGERS: While Fournette remains one of the top running backs in the country this season, averaging 7.1 yards per carry, the junior has had plenty of assistance from backfield teammate Derrius Guice. The sophomore is averaging 7.9 yards per carry and has rushed for 629 yards on only 80 carries.
ALABAMA HANGOVER: Just like each of the last two seasons, the Tigers come into the game against Arkansas following a loss to Alabama. This time around, it's also their first loss under Orgeron since the former defensive assistant took over for the fired Les Miles in September.
RANKED DELIGHT: Saturday's game will mark the 25th time Arkansas coach Bret Bielema has faced a ranked opponent in his first 48 games at the school. The Razorbacks have faced seven ranked opponents this season, with LSU being the fifth straight.
RECOVERING ALLEN: Arkansas quarterback Austin Allen is second in the SEC in passing efficiency, but he struggled early in last week's win over Florida — his first game after injuring his right knee against Auburn. Still, the junior finished 15-of-26 passing for 243 yards, and is tied for the league lead with 19 touchdown passes in his first season as the starter.