| |
If many people across the nation saw Tennessee-Arkansas circled on the calendar, who would have thought, besides Hogs fans, that Arkansas would have the higher ranking? Well, such is the case as the Vols travel to Fayetteville to take on the surprising Razorbacks.
Through nine games, Arkansas is the only team without a conference loss in the SEC, who would have that that? The only loss on the season came the first week of the year to No. 7 USC. The Razorbacks need two wins in their last three games to clinch a trip to Atlanta, and a date with the Florida Gators.
All is not that well though, even with an 8-1 record, in Arkansas. Running back Darren McFadden has been one of the best backs in the nation, averaging 115.3 yards per game. Arkansas as a team, runs for 238.9 per game, which is fourth in the nation. McFadden was banged up in the game last week against the Gamecocks, but he has said throughout the week that he should be ready to go Saturday at home
Last week's win at South Carolina sparked a quarterback controversy though. Starter Mitch Mustain was replaced by Casey Dick. The sophomore started four games last season, and will get his first start this week against the Volunteers. He threw for 228 yards in relief of Mustain, who threw an interception in the first series of the game.
Razorback's coach Houston Nutt has said this week that the team need's both of the quarterbacks, meaning we may likely see Mustain in the ballgame at some point.
Tennessee is coming off of a heartbreaking loss to rival LSU last Saturday, in which the Vols came back to take the lead with back-up QB Jonathan Crompton throwing the go-ahead TD pass with 7:29 left in the game. But the Tennessee defense couldn't hold, as the Tigers would score with seconds remaining to steal a win in Knoxville.
The redshirt-freshman Crompton was in the game due to an injury to starter Erik Ainge. Head coach Phillip Fulmer hasn't ruled out Ainge starting on the road Saturday, after spraining his right ankle against South Carolina two weeks ago, and tweaking his left ankle against LSU this past weekend.
The loss last week knocked the Vols out of contention to get to Atlanta and the SEC title game against Florida, and any real chance of a BCS bowl. After the game, three Tennessee players were arrested for underage drinking, including starting running back Adrian Foster. Fulmer suspended Foster for the first half of this week's game, David Holbert for the entire game and Antonio Wardlow for two games. Tennessee has now been relegated to the spoiler role and despite the suspensions, it should be something that Arkansas should be very weary about.
Douglas Kroll can be reached at dckroll@hotmail.com
|
