As the Arkansas football team (4-2, 2-1 SEC) prepares for its Week 8 matchup against the No. 8 LSU Tigers (5-1, 2-0 SEC) at Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville on Saturday, HawgBeat has some fast facts about the game and both programs.
Led by head coach Brian Kelly — the winningest active coach in NCAA football — LSU has defeated teams like South Carolina, UCLA and Ole Miss in its five-game victory streak since the Tigers' Week 1 loss to USC.
On paper, LSU has an advantage in the pass game (LSU's No. 16 pass offense efficiency vs. Arkansas' No. 49 pass defensive efficiency), while Arkansas has the edge on the ground (Arkansas' No. 19 rush offensive efficiency vs. LSU's No. 71 rush defense efficiency).
Arkansas fares better in third down situations too, as the Razorbacks boast the No. 8 third-down offense and No. 33 third-down defense in the country. The Hogs also rank No. 17 in offensive explosive plays and No. 23 in preventing explosive plays.
Below are some other fast facts to know ahead of Saturday's matchup, which will kick off at 6 p.m. CT and will be broadcast on ESPN:
Note: Stats and notes compiled are from game notes provided by both teams.
By the Numbers:
Arkansas:
~ Dating back to the 2021 season, Arkansas has won three straight games following a bye week. All three victories have come against SEC opponents: Mississippi State (2021), Auburn (2022) and Florida (2023).
~ With an Arkansas win, the Hogs would earn their second victory against a Top-10 opponent this season and secure multiple Top-10 wins in a season since 1965 and only the third time (1964, 1965) in program history.
~ Saturday will serve as Homecoming for the Razorbacks, who are 1-3 in such contests during the Sam Pittman era. Arkansas defeated Ole Miss in 2020, but lost to Auburn in 2021, Liberty in 2022 and Mississippi State in 2023.
LSU:
~ LSU has allowed just two sacks this season (fewest in SEC), has allowed just 18 second-half points in two SEC games and has thrown a touchdown pass in 21 straight games.
~ Under Brian Kelly, the Tigers are 7-3 in games decided by one score, which includes a 2-0 mark against the Razorbacks. LSU won 13-10 in Fayetteville (2022) and 34-31 in Tiger Stadium (2023).
~ The LSU coaching staff features two former Razorback coaches in Brad Davis (offensive line) and Kevin Peoples (edge rushers), who once served as offensive line coach and defensive line coach, respectively, for Arkansas.
~ LSU has recorded 19 sacks in its last 4 games (5 vs. South Carolina, 5 vs. UCLA, 3 vs. South Alabama, 6 vs. Ole Miss). LSU’s ranks second in the SEC and No. 5 in the nation in total sacks (21). LSU’s 3.5 sacks/game is No. 4 nationally and first in the SEC.
Series History:
Quick Stats:
All-Time Record: LSU leads, 44-23-2
In Fayetteville: LSU leads, 5-2
In Baton Rouge: LSU leads, 14-4-1
In Shreveport: LSU leads, 16-9
In Little Rock: LSU leads, 8-7
In Dallas: LSU leads, 1-0-1
In Memphis: Arkansas leads, 1-0
Most points scored by Arkansas: 51 (1910)
Most points scored by LSU: 56 (2018)
Largest margin of victory by Arkansas: 51 (1910)
Largest margin of victory by LSU: 36 (2019)
Longest win streak by Arkansas: 4 (1922-25)
Longest win streak by LSU: 7 (1930-36)
Last Matchup:
Jayden Daniels is now the starting quarterback for the Washington Commanders, but it wasn't long ago that he got picked off by Arkansas' defense in the first quarter of last season's game.
That ultimately didn't matter much, as Daniels went on to throw for four touchdowns and 320 yards, but Arkansas went toe-to-toe with the Tigers despite coming off a disappointing home loss to BYU the week before.
Arkansas led 13-10 at halftime before LSU outscored the Hogs, 14-3, in the third quarter. Behind a 289-yard, three-touchdown day from quarterback KJ Jefferson, the Razorbacks stormed back in the fourth with 15 points, but it wasn't enough to sway the result from another three-point defeat.
Two offensive standouts for Arkansas in the game were running back Rashod Dubinion and tight end Luke Hasz. Dubinion carried the ball 15 times for 78 yards and Hasz caught six passes for 116 yards and two scores.
Player Notables:
Arkansas:
~ For the season, QB Taylen Green has the eighth-best Pro Football Focus (84.1) of SEC quarterbacks with at least 80 snaps played (just behind LSU QB Garrett Nussmeier's 85.6) despite being pressured 95 times (38 more than Nussmeier).
~ WR Andrew Armstrong leads the Razorbacks in receptions (38) and receiving yards (552) despite missing the season-opener. He enters Saturday night's showdown having caught a pass in 33 consecutive games and recording multiple receptions in 28 straight matchups.
~ RB Ja'Quinden Jackson has rushed for at least one touchdown in every game this season, becoming the first Razorback to score a rushing touchdown in six consecutive games since RB Knile Davis did so in 2010. Jackson is currently third in the SEC in rushing yards per game (94.3) and rushing touchdowns (10).
LSU:
~ QB Garrett Nussmeier leads the SEC and ranks fourth in the nation in passing touchdowns (18). He's also thrown at least one interception in 4-of-6 games this year, including four total between his last two appearances against Ole Miss and South Alabama.
~ LSU’s starting offensive line has combined for 128 career starts at LSU. LT Will Campbell, a preseason All-American, and RG Miles Frazier lead the way with 32 starts apiece. RT Emery Jones (30), LG Garrett Dellinger (28) and C DJ Chester (6) round out the lineup.
~ LB Whit Weeks had a career-best 18 tackles, including a sack for a 6-yard loss, in the win over Ole Miss. Whit Weeks currently leads the SEC in total tackles with 59 (9.83 per game).
