Position-by-position matchups

Key matchup Arkansas pass rush with defensive end Chris Smith (42) and coverage vs. the Mississippi State passing game.

Key matchup Arkansas pass rush with defensive end Chris Smith (42) and coverage vs. the Mississippi State passing game.

Saturday, November 23, 2013

OFFENSE

Quarterback

Mississippi State 3 Arkansas 2

Mississippi State’s quarterback roulette wheel will stop on … well, Coach Dan Mullen’s not letting on, so it’s a game-time decision. Dak Prescott (128 of 219, 1,542 yards, 7 TD, 7 INT), missed last week’s loss to Alabama with a stinger, but he might be ready. Prescott, who leads the team with 722 rushing yards, ranks third among FBS quarterbacks with 12 touchdowns scored. Senior Tyler Russell (53-81-2, 612 yards, 3 TDs), who has battled concussion and shoulder injuries, was hurt again while defending after an interception last week. Russell passed for 274 yards and 4 TDs last season vs. the Hogs. Freshman Damian Williams (11-23-1, 152 yards) finished up last week’s 20-7 loss to Alabama. The Bulldogs are No. 56 with 239 passing yards per game. Brandon Allen’s accuracy and production have gone up since his return from a shoulder injury, but he’s still below 50 percent completions at 99 of 212 (.467) for 1,260 yards, with 11 TDs and 8 INTs. He threw one interception at Ole Miss on a deep route in the end zone. Arkansas ranks 115th with 149 passing yards per game and the Razorbacks are 111th in passing efficiency.

Running backs

Arkansas 4 Mississippi State 3

Senior LaDarius Perkins is 19th among active FBS players with 4,148 all-purpose yards. Perkins, 5-10, 195 pounds, has rushed 106 times for 458 yards, with 2 TDs and a 4.3-yard average after rushing for more than 1,000 yards last season.Perkins had 91 rushing yards and 2 receiving touchdowns vs. the Hogs last year. Quarterback Zak Prescott (111-722) has all four of the team’s 100-yard rushing games with a high of 154 at Texas A&M. Sophomore Josh Robinson (51-275, 2 TDs) had a 51-yard TD among his six carries for 73 yards at A&M. Freshman Alex Collins (169-946, 4) averages 5.6 yards per carry and needs 54 yards to reach 1,000. Sophomore Jonathan Williams (129-783, 4) averages 6.1 yards per carry and will need to average 109 yards in the last two games to reach 1,000. Korliss Marshall (5-66) has provided a spark in limited action. Fullback Kiero Small (32-122, 2) has both his rushing scores in the past couple of games and leads the backfield with 15 receptions (101 yards, 1 TD).

Receivers

Mississippi State 2 Arkansas 2

Jameon Lewis (43 receptions, 541 yards, 4 TDs) had 111 receiving yards vs. LSU. He has also delivered as a passer, completing all 3 of his attempts for 84 yards and 3 touchdowns. Robert Johnson (27-291, 1) had a season-high 7 catches at South Carolina.

Tight end Malcolm Johnson (23-290, 1) had his best game (6-84) vs. Alabama last week. 6-4 Joe Morrow (17-198, 1) and 6-5 De’Runnya Wilson (18-262, 3) present matchup problems for Arkansas’ DBs.

Arkansas’ receivers have shown improvement in recent games, led by Javontee Herndon (28-411, 4), Keon Hatcher (18-233, 2) and Julian Horton (10-123, 1), who had a 4-catch game at Ole Miss. True freshman tight end Hunter Henry (21-354, 2) has been dangerous on slants and deeper routes.

Line

Mississippi State 4 Arkansas 3

Mississippi State’s front five have combined for 138 career starts, with senior All-SEC guard Gabe Jackson (6-4, 335), considered one of the best linemen in the country, leading the way with 49. Jackson is a sure NFL pick. Watch his battles with up-and-coming Arkansas DT Darius Philon. Center Dillon Day has 31 career starts, and LT Blaine Clausell has 26. Guard Ben Beckwith has 9 starts and 33 games played.

The Bulldogs rank 80th in third-down conversions (38 percent). Arkansas center Travis Swanson has 48 career starts and an NFL future in sight. He’s flanked by the rookie guards Dan Skipper and Denver Kirkland, who have made six consecutive starts in tandem and project as cornerstone elements to Arkansas’ power run game. Former walk-on David Hurd is a two-year starter at left tackle. Brey Cook has started the past five games at right tackle after Grady Ollison, who had been slowed by injuries, started the first five there. The Hogs rank No. 2 nationally in sacks allowed (0.7 per game), No. 60 in third-down conversions (40.9), No.

100 in total offense (358.7) and No. 109 in scoring (20.4).

DEFENSE

Line

Mississippi State 4 Arkansas 4

Mississippi State, yielding 147 rushing yards per game, held Texas A&M to 91 rushing yards and Auburn to 120.Ends Preston Smith (30, 2.5 sacks, 6.5 TFL, 6 hurries) and Denico Autry (21, 1 sack, 3.5 TFL, 6 hurries) anchor the line. Chris Jones (24, 2, 5, 8), P.J. Jones (18, 1, 3, 3) and Kaleb Eulls (18, 1 TFL, 1 hurry) rotate at tackle. The Razorbacks, yielding 171.2 rushing yards per game, held Ole Miss to 103 rushing yards. Arkansas needs ends Chris Smith (30, 7.5 sacks, 10.5 TFL, 5 hurries) and Trey Flowers (35, 4, 10, 3) to pick it up the pass rushing the final two games. Freshman Darius Philon (35, 3, 8, 2) has worked his way into the starting rotation at tackle. Senior Byran Jones (25, 1.5 TFL, 1 hurry), sophomore DeMarcus Hodge (21, 1 sack, 2.5 TFL) and redshirt freshman Taiwan Johnson (4) are the other top tackles. Deatrich Wise (15, 2, 3, 2 hurries), Brandon Lewis (12, 2.5 TFL, 1 PBU) and JaMichael Winston (3, 1 INT) are all redshirt freshmen.

Linebackers

Mississippi State 3 Arkansas 2

Bernardrick McKinney is a 6-5, 235-pound prototype middle linebacker with 20 career starts. He leads the club with 58 tackles, and has 4 hurries, 2 fumble recoveries and 2 ½ sacks. Deontae Skinner (50, 3.5 TFL, 1 INT, 3 hurries, 1 sack) leads the outside linebackers, along with Matthew Wells (39, 5 TFL, 3 hurries) and Beniquez Brown (26, 4 TFL, 1 fumble recovery). The Bulldogs rank No. 24 in third-down defense, No. 45 in total defense and No. 63 in points allowed. Veterans Jarrett Lake (62, 1 sack, 2 PBU, 2 hurries) and Braylon Mitchell (70, 1 TFL, 3 PBU, 2 hurries) start at the outside spots. Freshman middle linebacker Brooks Ellis (20, 1 PBU), has taken over the position for now, and possibly for years to come.

Is North Little Rock native Martrell Spaight (22, 1 sack, 1 hurry) back in position to provide quality reps in his homecoming? Arkansas ranks No. 63 in total defense, No. 91 in scoring defense, and No. 88 in third-down conversion defense.

Secondary

Mississippi State 3 Arkansas 2

Free safety Nickoe Whitley (40, 1 TFL, 2 PBU) leads the Bulldogs with 4 INTs, while corner Jamerson Love (21, 5 PBU) has three interceptions and 78 return yards. Kendrick Market (47, 1.5 TFL, 1 PBU) is a product of the football factory at Batesville (Miss.) South Panola. Freshman corner Taveze Calhoun (27, 3 PBU, 1 fumble recovery) got his first two career interceptions off AJ McCarron last week.

Justin Cox (22, 3 PBU) and Cedric Jiles (19) also get snaps at corner. The Bulldogs rank 85th in pass efficiency defense. Will Hines (22, 1 INT, 4 PBU), who had been out since Oct. 5 with a broken arm, is back for Arkansas but Carroll Washington (18, 1 TFL, 2 PBU) might be limited with a heel issue.

Junior starter Tevin Mitchel (47, 1 INT, 5 PBU) has been practicing better, trying to shake off a series of games in which his missed tackles were turned into touchdowns. Freshmen Jared Collins (16, 1 PBU, 1 TFL) and D.J. Dean (4, 2 PBU) are playing more snaps. Safety Alan Turner (70, 1 INT, 3 PBU) is tied for the team lead in tackles. Senior Eric Bennett (61, 1 INT, 3 PBU) also had an interception vs. Ole Miss.

The Hogs are 62nd in passing yards allowed (229.1) but No. 106 in pass-efficiency defense, an indication they’ve given up a load of big plays and touchdowns.

Special teams

Arkansas 3 Mississippi State 1

Mississippi State is 7 of 15 on field-goal attempts, and Bulldogs kickers have made 1 of the past 6.

Devon Bell is 5 of 11 on field goals, 2 of 8 from 30 yards or longer. Evan Sobiesk is 2 of 4 with a long of 38 yards. Senior Baker Swedenburg, a Ray Guy Award candidate, is eighth in the SEC with a 43.2-yard punting average. The Bulldogs are No. 37 in net punting with a 38-yard average. Mississippi State has had three kicks blocks - 2 place-kicks and 1 punt. Jameon Lewis is the lead return man on both kickoffs (23.3-yard average) and punts (1.3).

Arkansas senior Zach Hocker, the school’s all-time leading scorer, is 10 of 12 on field goals, with one blocked and a missed 58-yarder at Ole Miss. Hocker is eighth nationally with 65.9 percent touchbacks, and is 12th with an average kickoff distance of 64.2 yards. An unsuccessful onside kick against Ole Miss did not help his average. Punter Sam Irwin-Hill has a 44-yard average to rank second in the SEC and 16th nationally. The Razorbacks have moved up to No. 32 nationally in net punting with a 38.3 yard average.

Korliss Marshall (21.6 yard average) is improving on kickoff returns. Javontee Herndon had a season-best 31-yard punt return at Ole Miss to bump his average to 9.4. Arkansas opponents are averaging 25.8 yards on kickoff returns and 14.6 yards on punt returns.

Freshman Dan Skipper has two blocked field goals.

Intangibles

Mississippi State 3 Arkansas 3

Mississippi State has to win today and next week against Ole Miss to reach six victories and bowl eligibility. These Bulldogs would also like to become the first Mississippi State team to win in Arkansas.

. The Bulldogs forced four Alabama turnovers last week and they’re tied for No. 38 in turnover margin (plus 0.4). The Razorbacks have the home crowd, but also carry the weight of a seven-game losing streak, one shy of the school record, and a 10-game SEC losing streak. Arkansas is No. 106 nationally with a minus-8 turnover margin, though the Hogs won the takeaway battle in an SEC game for the first time this season at Ole Miss. The Razorbacks haven’t been in a close game since their 28-24 loss to Rutgers, so if this one’s close, their play-making ability at crunch time will get a fresh test.

Key matchup

Arkansas pass rush with defensive end Chris Smith (42) and coverage vs. the Mississippi State passing game. The big, momentum snaring pass plays are mounting against the Razorbacks’ defense and the Bulldogs obviously recall working over the secondary in last year’s 45-14 rout in Starkville, Miss.

Sports, Pages 26 on 11/23/2013