WHAT'S AT STAKE
Mississippi has been on a mission to show it's still one of the country's best teams following early season losses to Florida State and Alabama, games in which the Rebels surrendered large leads. Despite the losses, Ole Miss has plenty of chances left this season to push its way back into the top 10 — beginning with an Arkansas team whose only losses have been to the Crimson Tide and No. 6 Texas A&M.
Saturday's Ticket
No. 12 Mississippi (3-2, 1-1 SEC) at No. 22 Arkansas (4-2, 0-2),
Time: 6 p.m.
TV: ESPN
Line: Mississippi by 8.
Series Record: Arkansas leads 34-27-1
KEY MATCHUP
Ole Miss QB Chad Kelly vs. Arkansas QB Austin Allen. The two signal callers enter the weekend as the two most efficient quarterbacks in the Southeastern Conference. Kelly has thrown for 13 touchdowns and four interceptions in his second season as the starter for the Rebels, while Allen has thrown for 15 and five — three in last week's loss to Alabama — in his first season as the Razorbacks starter.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Ole Miss: S Zedrick Woods. Arkansas allowed two defensive touchdowns by Alabama last week, while the Rebels have scored a defensive touchdown in each of their last three games. That includes an interception return for a touchdown by Woods, who had two picks in a 48-28 win over Memphis.
Arkansas: LB Brooks Ellis. The Razorbacks allowed 10.1 yards per play in last week's loss to the Crimson Tide, and they enter this week without second-leading tackler Dre Greenlaw following foot surgery on Monday. Ellis leads Arkansas with 42 tackles from his middle linebacker position and will have even more expected of him with Greenlaw out.
FACTS & FIGURES
While the Rebels have outscored their opponents 131-40 in the first half this season, they've been outscored 108-77 after halftime ... Arkansas allowed six sacks a week ago in a 49-30 loss to Alabama, and it's now given up 13 through six games — one away from the 14 allowed in each of the last two seasons ... Arkansas has defeated Ole Miss in each of the last two seasons, including a 53-52 overtime win last season.