WHAT'S AT STAKE
A week after its first loss of the season, Arkansas steps away from Southeastern Conference play for the final time this season — and just ahead of a difficult two-week stretch against No. 1 Alabama and No. 16 Mississippi. The Razorbacks, despite last week's loss to Texas A&M, still have won nine of their last 11 games and hope to regain momentum on Saturday against the Braves.
Alcorn State (1-2) vs. No. 20 Arkansas (3-1)
Time: 11 a.m.
TV: SEC Network Alternate
Line: No line
Series Record: First meeting.
KEY MATCHUP
Arkansas QB Austin Allen vs. Alcorn State's secondary. The Braves are 119th out of 122 Football Championship Series teams in passing yardage allowed, giving up an average of 324.7 yards per game through the air. Allen, meanwhile, has quickly emerged as one of the top quarterbacks in the SEC in his first season as the starter — completing 66.9 percent of his passes with nine touchdowns and two interceptions.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Alcorn State: LB Darien Anderson. The 6-foot-1, 240-pound senior is tied for the lead in sacks in the FCS with 6½, including four last week against Grambling State. Anderson also leads Alcorn State with 30 tackles through three games.
Arkansas: WR Keon Hatcher. After missing most of last season with a broken left foot, the senior has returned to old self this season. Hatcher has quickly meshed with Allen and leads the Razorbacks with 281 yards receiving, and he has six catches for 173 yards over the last two weeks.
FACTS & FIGURES
Alcorn State has played more recently in Little Rock's War Memorial Stadium than Arkansas, having defeated Arkansas-Pine Bluff 61-14 there last October ... The Razorbacks lost in their last appearance in Little Rock to Toledo last season, and they are 1-5 in their last six games in War Memorial Stadium ... If Allen throws multiple touchdowns on Saturday, he will become Arkansas' first quarterback to do so in each of the first five games to start a season since the Razorbacks joined the SEC in 1992.
