Arkansas vs LSU: 3 Predictions, 1 Crazy
It’s gameday for Arkansas as the Razorbacks are in Baton Rouge for a night game against LSU.
The Hogs haven’t won at LSU in a half-decade and only four times since joining the SEC in 1992. But Arkansas is the betting favorite and a the No. 25 team in the College Football Playoff rankings.
Every Saturday on gamedays, you will find Razorbacks Wire editor E. Wayne and contributor Derek Oxford giving three picks on events that will take place in that day’s game. One of those picks has to be a little bit off the wall, something that could happen, but it’d be wild if it did.
Picking Arkansas to complete a pass to Treylon Burks, for example, is a bad prediction for these purposes. Picking Burks to have eight catches and 100 yards, that’s better. Also picking, say, a penalty for targeting, another nice one. It’s unlikely, but has potential.
Want to join? You’re probably better at it than we are. Make your picks in the comments section on the Razorbacks Wire at your favorite social media site.
Without further ado, welcome to 3 Predictions, 1 Crazy, Arkansas-Mississippi State.
This Will Happen
Oxford: Arkansas 37, LSU 20
Wayne: LSU 28, Arkansas 24
The most disparate score differential from any of the Razorbacks Wire staffers this season comes in the LSU game. Even if Las Vegas favors Arkansas, ESPN’s Football Power Index doesn’t. Both places have a close, though. Oxford going with a large win is a bit of a surprise, but would signal a massive next step for the Hogs.
This Might Happen
Oxford: Dominique Johnson runs for and catches a touchdown
Wayne: Arkansas wins the turnover battle
Johnson, Arkansas’ sophomore running back, had his first start last week against Mississippi State. He responded by running for a career-high 107 yards and two touchdowns, the last of which proved to be the game-winner with 22 seconds left. He’s caught four balls for 34 yards this season.
The Razorbacks are a plus-two in turnover margin this season to rank 42nd in FBS. Any edge in that battle would pay dividends.
This Is Crazy
Oxford: Trey Knox gets 125 yards receiving
Wayne: Arkansas registers four sacks
It’s been a wild year for Knox, moving from wide receiver to tight end. He’s caught passes in just two Arkansas games this year, both against the Mississippi SEC schools. Last week, he had four grabs for 26 yards. But Oxford thinks it was a tip-of-the-iceberg type of performance. A 125-yard receiving game for a tight end at Arkansas would be epic beyond epic.
Arkansas is 13th in the SEC sacks. Not great. But the Hogs are also coming off back-to-back games of three sacks. Getting four against an LSU team that doesn’t throw as much as Mississippi State is a tall task, one that, if achieved, would almost assuredly be a harbinger of Arkansas victory.
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