HawgBeat - HawgBeat Staff Predictions: Arkansas at BYU
See how the HawgBeat staff predicted Arkansas at BYU.
arkansas.rivals.com
The Arkansas Razorbacks and BYU Cougars will face off at 2:30 p.m. CT Saturday at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo, Utah.
Saturday will mark the first ever meeting between the two teams. Both squads will be looking to bounce back from a loss, as the Hogs fell to Mississippi State 40-17 last week and the Cougars fell short of Notre Dame, 28-20.
Arkansas is a +1.5 point underdog against the Cougars.
Here is how the HawgBeat staff thinks the game will go Saturday:
@jegreenwood - Guest Picker
Arkansas heads to Provo UT, in search of a win. Most folks heading to Provo are in search of something different, whether it be an education, a spiritual awakening, a wife (or 3). There is a lot to be found in Provo. Coming off a rough SEC slate to start the season, the Hogs have to reach new heights in these mountains, and gut out a win. It will not come easy, as BYU is loaded with 27 year old freshmen fresh off their Mormon Mission. Key Players for BYU:
Former 5 Star OT, Kingsley Suamataia: Kingsley originally signed with Oregon out of high school, but found his way to Provo via his Samoan/Mormon heritage. A huge get for the Cougars, Kingsley is easily a first rounder in future NFL draft. This is a little known fact, but Kingsley was the stunt double for Dwayne The Rock Johnson, in the movie Moana.
QB Jaren Hall: 26 year old, Jaren Hall, who is just returning from a 4 year mission in the jungles of the Amazon, has had no problem getting back into the swing of things. He has been a key contributor and well stat'd guy heading into the meat of BYU's season. The Hogs will need to stop this father of 6, early and often. He has some scoots when under pressure, and can really sling it once he draws the D onto him.
LB/FB Max Tooley: No rookie to having to contribute in multiple facets, the Junior LB from Bountiful UT is the son of former BYU great Keenan Tooley. Max is one of 27 siblings, (mother, Kanyana, is 1 of 4 wives married to his father Max). Growing up, Max not only had to carry the load for his mom and brothers/sisters, but also carried the load for his half brothers/sisters and father;s wives. He is a do it all kind of guy and that translates to his football career as well, where he plays both ways. It will be loud in Provo, thanks to all 93 of his immediate family members that will be in attendance. KJ will have to control the flow while battling the noises.
Keys to Hogs WIN: SOAK it in. All of it. Not every day you get to go up in the mountains, and play a team like BYU. The atmosphere will be erotic, whether you are on one sideline or the other. Just gotta soak it in, try not to bust/thust, and get out of Provo with a win.
Arkansas 27, BYU 24
Mason Choate - Managing Editor
Over the past three weeks, Arkansas has not proved to me that it can win this game against a tough BYU team in a hostile environment.
The Cougars have a veteran team that is led by quarterback Jaren Hall, who makes little mistakes and has a 14/2 touchdown/interception ratio.
BYU's defense is its weakness, especially the run defense. That matchup bodes well for an Arkansas team that has the nation's No. 11 rushing attack.
Though the Hogs haven't proved it to me and the secondary injuries continue to loom large, I just have a gut feeling that they are hungry for a win.
This will be a battle of who can score the most, in my opinion. I'll take the Razorbacks on a game-winning field goal from Cam Little.
Arkansas 38, BYU 35
Robert Stewart - Staff Writer
The Razorbacks are going to flex their SEC muscles tomorrow and barely escape with their fourth win of the year. It’s no secret that the defense is a weakness, but Jaren Hall is not on the same tier of quarterbacks as Bryce Young and Will Rogers.
Hall will surely play well and give the defense fits, but not enough to outscore the Hogs. The return of KJ Jefferson will be the spark the offense needs after a lackluster showing last week in Starkville. Arkansas needs him to be the dynamic player he is to avoid falling below .500.
The pressure is on, and it’s long past time the Hogs responded to it.
Arkansas 34, BYU 31
Alex Trader - Football Recruiting Analyst
The time is now for Sam Pittman's Arkansas Razorbacks.
Stop me if you've heard this before - the Hogs enter a mid-October non-conference matchup off the heels of a three-game losing skid. Though this BYU squad is a significant upgrade over the UAPB team that Arkansas dominated to get back in the win column, all of the Razorbacks' (realistic) preseason goals remain in front of them.
It's not going to be particularly pretty on either side of the ball, but I have the hungrier dog running just a bit faster than a BYU team that's struggled against legitimate competition this year.
Arkansas 31, BYU 27
Daniel Fair - Staff Writer
It has been almost a month since the Razorbacks saw a win, as they are amidst a three-game losing streak for the second straight year. They travel to Utah in hopes of breaking that streak with a game against BYU on Saturday.
The Cougars have played an equally difficult schedule as the Hogs and are coming off a 28-20 loss to Notre Dame last weekend. They have a strength at quarterback, with Jaren Hall throwing for 1,558 yards and 14 touchdowns to just two interceptions.
I think this game plays different than the last three, though. With KJ Jefferson returning, I think the offense will get going early with the run game. BYU gave up 234 yards on the ground to Notre Dame, who is not traditionally a running team. I think the game is close until the fourth quarter, but the Hogs run away.
Arkansas 35, BYU 21
Jackson Collier - Basketball Recruiting Analyst
Arkansas desperately needs to go into the bye week with positive momentum and a winning record. In order to do that, the Razorbacks will have to go on the road to a sold-out environment against BYU.
It’ll be tough sledding, as the Cougars boast an impressive passing attack that looks to pick apart a depleted Arkansas secondary.
Last week, the snake-bitten Razorbacks' secondary prevented Mississippi State from converting chunk plays, instead making them nickel and dime the ball down the field. In the course of doing that, Arkansas dropped a handful of interceptions.
The Razorbacks should easily control the line of scrimmage and run the football at-will. Having KJ Jefferson back at quarterback should give the offense its identity from the first snap instead of the second quarter like last week.
As long as the defense can play assignment football and generate third and fourth down stops, Arkansas should win this game.
Arkansas 34, BYU 28
Kevin Bohannon - Baseball Recruiting Analyst
The Arkansas Razorbacks football program is a top 25 all time program in terms of wins. They have one national championship on their resume. They’ve had numerous All Americans and conference championships as well.
Fans tend to forget the accomplishments I just listed, because this is an instant gratification society and all about the here and now. There are fans questioning Sam Pittman and if he has lost control of the football team and whether his staff can develop players.
I say all of that to say this: Arkansas has gone on three game losing streaks before and they will again. This season has that deja Vu feeling of 2021 and 2003 and the end of 2006. The Hogs lost three straight games in each of those seasons after reaching a top ten ranking and ended the season with 9 or more wins.
Arkansas and BYU are both a little beat up right now, but who isn’t this time of the year. The Hogs should be able to use their stable of backs and attack the BYU defense. Expect the Cougars to play a heavy box on defense allowing KJ Jefferson to stretch the field against man coverage.
Big plays will determine this game and I have a feeling the Hogs get back to their winning ways in Provo.
Arkansas 35, BYU 31
OVERALL RECORDS
Mason: 5-1, 4-2 ATSRobert: 5-1, 3-3 ATS
Alex: 4-1, 3-2 ATS
Daniel: 4-2, 4-2 ATS
Jackson: 5-1, 4-2 ATS
Kevin: 2-0, 2-0 ATS
