OFFENSE
Quarterback
Arkansas’ Austin Allen (53-79-2, 655 yards, 7 TDs) leads SEC in completion percentage (.671) and is second in passing efficiency (160.9). Allen is No. 5 in the SEC with 218.3 passing yards per game and No. 3 with 7 TD passes. Allen has been a productive runner, has delivered under pressure and has taken care of the ball, with 3 turnovers in 3 games.
Texas A&M’s Trevor Knight (63-119-2, 830 yards, 5 TDs) is 10th in the SEC and 78th nationally in passing efficiency (122.04). Knight ranks third in the conference and 23rd in the nation with 276.7 passing yards per game. Knight has 151 rushing yards, averages 5.4 yards per carry and is tied for the team lead with 3 rushing touchdowns.
ADVANTAGE Even
Running back
Sophomore Rawleigh Williams (71-354, 3 TDs) has 66 percent of Arkansas’ running back carries. He ranks 3rd in the SEC with 118 rushing yards per game and leads the SEC with 13 carries of 10-plus yards. Kody Walker (20-66, 1) and Devwah Whaley (15-56) have pitched in. Arkansas is 68th in rushing (170.7).
Texas A&M freshman Trayveon Williams (28-236, 1 TD), 5-9, 200 pounds, had an 89-yard TD at Auburn and has not been tackled for a loss. Keith Ford (32-155, 4.8 ypc), 5-11, 215, has scored 3 TDs. Kendall Bussey (7-79, 11.3 ypc) and big back James White (6-37), 6-0, 217, have also gotten work. The Aggies are 24th in rushing (237.0)
ADVANTAGE Arkansas
Receivers/TEs
Drew Morgan (15-168, 1 TD) and Keon Hatcher (11-204, 2) spearhead the Arkansas passing attack. TE Jeremy Sprinkle (9-97, 3) has a TD reception in every game. Dominique Reed (4-53) hasn’t scored or taken the top off a defense yet. Cody Hollister (3-38) got more involved last week, and Jared Cornelius (3-30, 1) is expected to return after sitting out last week.
Texas A&M can match its WR corps with anyone. Slot man Christian Kirk (18-106, 2) and Speedy Noil (6-84, 1) are the shorter speed merchants, while Josh Reynolds (13-229, 2), Ricky Seal-Jones (9-128), Edward Pope (2-22), Boone Niederhofer (2-11) and Damion Ratley (1-20) are all 6-3 or taller. Reynolds had 3 catches for 106 yards vs. Arkansas last year.
ADVANTAGE Texas A&M
Line
Arkansas' Frank Ragnow and Jake Raulerson swapped positions, and Ragnow was named the SEC’s Offensive lineman with a 92 percent grade at RG. LT Dan Skipper and LG Hjalte Froholdt stayed in place. Brian Wallace and Colton Jackson should split reps at RT, and Zach Rogers should help at center. The Razorbacks have allowed 6 sacks.
Texas A&M's lone returning starter is senior LT Avery Gennesy. Senior RT Jermaine Eluemunor (6-4, 325) was an Arkansas commit. The other three starters are young: sophomore RG Connor Lanfear and two freshmen, LG Colton Prater and C Erik McCoy. The Aggies have given up 3 sacks and rank 14th in total offense (530.7).
ADVANTAGE Texas A&M
DEFENSE
Line
Arkansas' Jeremiah Ledbetter (17 tackles, 2.5 sacks, 2 PBUs) and Deatrich Wise (13, 2, 3 hurries) get to the passer. Tevin Beanum (7), Randy Ramsey (5, 1.5 sacks), Brandon Lewis (4, 0.5), Karl Roesler (2) and JaMichael Winston (1, 0.5) rotate at end. Taiwan Johnson (5, 1), McTelvin Agim (7, 1), Austin Capps (4, 0.5) and Bijhon Jackson (1, 0.5) play tackle. The Hogs are 21st in rush defense (98.7).
Texas A&M ends Myles Garrett (8, 3 sacks, 5 hurries) and Daeshon Hall (12, 4 TFL, 4 hurries) rank with the nation’s best. Garrett is a preseason All-American. Zaycoven Henderson (3) and Hardreck Walker (3) are listed as starting tackles. Reserves Kingsley Keke (7, 1 sack) and Daylon Mack (4) have more stats. Qualen Cunningham (3, 1 sack) backs up at end. The Aggies are 52nd in rush defense (131.0).
ADVANTAGE Texas A&M
Linebackers
Arkansas' Brooks Ellis (26, 4 TFL, 1 INT) and Dre Greenlaw (21, 1 INT, 1 FR) are pulling away with the team lead in tackles. De’Jon Harris (2) got his most significant playing time last week with Dwayne Eugene (2). Khalia Hackett (2) was pulled off special teams last week and needs production to find his way back. Arkansas is 34th in total defense (322.7).
Texas A&M's Shaan Washington (22, 2 TFL, 5 PBU) is making his 17th start at outside linebacker. Otaro Alaka (11, 1 TFL), a 6-3, 240-pound thumper, and Claude George (14, 3 TFL, 2 sacks) split time in the middle. Richard Moore (4, 1 sack) and Dwaine Thomas (2) should see more action than usual today on the strong side. The Aggies rank 57th in total defense (357.3).
ADVANTAGE Arkansas
Secondary
Arkansas sophomore Ryan Pulley (9, 5 PBU, 1 INT) has provided quality time at corner on the side opposite Jared Collins (3, 1 PBU) in two starts. Henre Toliver (11, 1 TFL, 1 PBU) has his work cut out vs. Kirk today. DJ Dean (1) is getting back into the corner mix. Precision tackling and a load of coverage will be needed from safeties Santos Ramirez (14, 1 PBU), Josh Liddell (10) and De’Andre Coley (7) vs. the Aggies. Arkansas is 69th in passing yards allowed (224) and 27th in pass efficiency defense.
Texas A&M free safety Armani Watts (12, 1 sack, 1 PBU) will make his 25th start. Strong safety Justin Evans (25, 2 INT, 3 PBU) is the team tackle leader. Nick Harvey (21, 2 PBU) and Priest Willis (7, 1 INT, 2 PBU) start at corner, and Donovan Wilson is the top nickel (15, 2 TFL, 2 hurries) and a reserve safety. The Aggies are 71st in passing yards allowed (226.3) and 11th in efficiency.
ADVANTAGE Texas A&M
Special teams
Arkansas punter Toby Baker, who leads the SEC and ranks fifth nationally with a 47.8 yard average, will have to be strategic against A&M’s superb punt- return unit. The Hogs rank 116th in kick-return defense (26.6), 113th in punt return defense (14.6) and 100th in kick returns (18.1). They are 10th in net punting (42.5). Cole Hedlund is 2 of 3 on FGs. Jared Cornelius or Drew Morgan will handle punt returns today for a unit that ranks 63rd (7.2).
Aggies kicker Daniel LaCamera (9 of 10 FGs) was 5 of 5 kicking FGs at Auburn and was named the SEC special teams player of the week. Punter Shane Tripucka is third in the SEC and 28th in the nation with a 43.8 average. Nick Harvey has a punt-return score for the Aggies, rank third in the nation (31.0 ypr). They also use Christian Kirk on punts. Texas A&M is 25th in net punting and 55th kickoff returns.
ADVANTAGE Texas A&M
Intangibles
The Razorbacks’ motivation should be off the charts, as Bret Bielema might say, after back-to-back fourth-quarter failures allowed Texas A&M to rally for victories in 2014 and 2015. Arkansas opened the renewal of this series with three victories at AT&T Stadium before losing four in a row. Bielema has not beaten his buddy Kevin Sumlin in this rivalry.
The Aggies have a higher ranking and the favorite’s role to defend in a matchup that looks pretty even on paper. Texas A&M has won four in a row in the series, but it has been after the Arkansas game that the Aggies have started coming unraveled in recent seasons. The team that wins will be considered a contender for the SEC West with Alabama and LSU.
ADVANTAGE Arkansas