What to watch for as No. 16 Mississippi State looks to rebound against Arkansas

Arkansas head coach Bret Bielema walks on the sideline in the second half of an NCAA college football game against LSU in Baton Rouge, La., Saturday, Nov. 11, 2017. LSU won 33-10. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
Arkansas head coach Bret Bielema walks on the sideline in the second half of an NCAA college football game against LSU in Baton Rouge, La., Saturday, Nov. 11, 2017. LSU won 33-10. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

No. 16 Mississippi State (7-3, 3-3 SEC, CFP No. 16) at Arkansas (4-6, 1-5), Saturday, 11 a.m. (CBS)

Line: Mississippi State by 11 ½.

Series record: Arkansas leads 16-10-1.

WHAT'S AT STAKE

The Bulldogs feel like they let a golden opportunity slip away last week in a 31-24 loss to No. 1 Alabama. Saturday is an opportunity for Mississippi State to take advantage of a reeling Arkansas team that has only one win this season over a Power Five conference team (Ole Miss) and could be in the final weeks of coach Bret Bielema's tenure.

KEY MATCHUP

Nick Fitzgerald vs. Arkansas' defense. Amid the myriad of problems for Arkansas this season, its defense has been among the worst in the first year of defensive coordinator Paul Rhoads' 3-4 look. The Razorbacks are 113th in the country in scoring defense, allowing 35.8 points per game, and they will have one of their toughest tests of the season against Fitzgerald — the Southeastern Conference's fourth all-time leading rusher as a quarterback with 2,369 career yards on the ground.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Mississippi State: DL Montez Sweat. The 6-foot-6, 241-pound junior has emerged as the Bulldogs' top pass-rushing threat this season. After finishing with no quarterback sacks in the first four games, Sweat has a team-high 6½ sacks in his last six games — along with nine tackles for losses overall.

Arkansas: QB Austin Allen. The senior returned to start in last week's 33-10 loss to LSU after missing the previous four games with a shoulder injury. Allen will once again start this week with freshman Cole Kelley suspended after his arrest on suspicion of driving while intoxicated, and he'll have to once again overcome an offensive line that is allowing nearly three sacks per game.

FACTS & FIGURES

Fitzgerald has accounted for 69 career touchdowns on either the ground (32) or through the air (37), second only to Dak Prescott (114) in Mississippi State history ... The Razorbacks will play this week after the firing of school athletic director Jeff Long on Wednesday ... Bielema is 29-32 overall, 11-27 in his fifth season at Arkansas.

Read Friday's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for full details.

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