ARKANSAS AT TEXAS TECH

Old Southwest bash

Gunslingers brace for Hogs’ stampede

Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Arkansas at Texas Tech Hogtoon  illustration
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Arkansas at Texas Tech Hogtoon illustration

LUBBOCK, Texas -- A throwback game deserves a throwback approach.

Arkansas (1-1) faces former Southwest Conference rival Texas Tech (2-0) at 2:30 p.m. today at Jones AT&T Stadium. The Red Raiders have declared the game "Blackout Arkansas Day" and will wear throwback jerseys, but they will attack Arkansas with a new-school Spread offense that contrasts sharply with the Razorbacks' old-style ground game.

Arkansas at Texas Tech

WHEN 2:30 p.m.

WHERE Jones AT&T Stadium (60,454)

RECORDS Arkansas 1-1; Texas Tech 2-0

RANKINGS Neither team is ranked

BETTING LINE Texas Tech by 1 1/2

COACHES Bret Bielema (4-10 in 2nd year at Arkansas, 72-34 in 9th year overall); Kliff Kingsbury (10-5 in 2nd year at Texas Tech and overall)

SERIES Arkansas leads 28-7 overall, 15-2 in Lubbock

TELEVISION ABC

RADIO Razorbacks Sports Network, including KABZ-FM103.7, in Little Rock; and KQSM-FM, 92.1, KEZA-FM, 107.9, KUOA-AM, 1290 and KUOA-FM, 105.3, in Fayetteville. XM-Radio 84, Sirius 84 (Texas Tech broadcast)

The matchup is part of a two-game series, with the Red Raiders returning the game next Sept. 19 in Fayetteville. Texas Tech is favored by 1 1/2 points.

Neither team is ranked, but Arkansas -- picked last in the SEC West -- could make a statement about where it's at in its second season under Coach Bret Bielema with a road victory over the team picked to finish sixth in the 10-team Big 12 Conference.

The teams have not played since 1991, Arkansas' final season in the SWC.

"To take down a Big 12 team ... a big-time program, it'll get our confidence up and help us move forward this season," Arkansas defensive end Trey Flowers said.

The differing offensive styles will shape the game.

Arkansas is averaging 34.5 run plays and 22.5 pass plays per game. Its average of 324 rushing yards per game, inflated by last week's 495-yard performance against FCS foe Nicholls State, is 11th in the country, and its 9.39 yards per carry leads the nation.

"One of the advantages we have, we feel, is that someone doesn't get many opportunities to play against the type of offense we bring to the table," Bielema said.

"They've been moving bodies," Texas Tech Coach Kliff Kingsbury said of Arkansas' big offensive line. "You watch them up front against Auburn, against Nicholls State, and they're tough. Those running backs do a great job finishing runs. ... It will be by far the biggest challenge we've faced."

Texas Tech averages 42 pass plays and 32 run plays per game, and its 365 passing yards per game is ninth in the nation.

"It will be a great test for us," Arkansas defensive backs coach Clay Jennings said.

The Red Raiders may be heartened by the performance of Auburn's Jeremy Johnson, who completed 12 of 16 passes for 243 yards and 2 touchdowns in the opening half of Arkansas' season opener.

"We've got to come out there and show everybody we're not a slouch, we're not pushovers," Arkansas cornerback Carroll Washington said. "We had some bad plays at Auburn. Now I think this is going to be our bounce-back game."

Texas Tech quarterback Davis Webb has completed 56 of 83 passes for 730 yards with 7 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. He has a variety of targets in Tech's four-wide sets, led by Brad Marquez, who has 14 catches for 217 yards and 5 touchdowns, and Jakeem Grant, who has 14 catches for 198 yards.

Arkansas safety Alan Turner said the key to defending the Red Raiders is not allowing them to get comfortable.

"We have to be more physical, be up more and disrupt their timing," Turner said.

Webb said the Red Raiders haven't hit their offensive stride yet and must do that against Arkansas.

"We've got to score a lot of points, because they're a good offense and scored a lot of points last week," Webb said.

The Razorbacks bounced back from a 45-21 loss at No. 6 Auburn by thrashing Football Championship Subdivision member Nicholls State 73-7 last week, totaling 684 yards and scoring touchdowns on five one-play drives.

Arkansas' top tailbacks -- Alex Collins, Jonathan Williams and Korliss Marshall -- are expected back at full strength after Marshall sat out last week with a bruised arm and Williams (shoulder) ran only four times for 143 yards.

The Razorbacks plan to stick to their running game even if Texas Tech creeps its safeties closer to the line of scrimmage.

"We're still going to run the ball even if they try loading the box," said Arkansas quarterback Brandon Allen, whose four completions last week all went for touchdowns. "We have to establish the run game, and it's going to be up to our pass game to make plays whenever they're afforded to us."

Both teams have played a road game during the first two weeks, but Arkansas faced a more hostile environment at Auburn's 92,000-seat Jordan-Hare Stadium than the Red Raiders did for their 30-26 victory over UTEP last week before 35,422 at the Sun Bowl.

"I think this is the bonus of us playing at Auburn," Bielema said. "If that game had been at home or we didn't have that game in our hip pocket right now, we wouldn't be as prepared as we're going to be to do that.

"The blessing in disguise was we've been on the road already."

Sports on 09/13/2014

Upcoming Events