Alabama to close regular season vs Arkansas

No. 1 Alabama (9-0, 9-0 SEC, No. 1 CFP) at Arkansas (36, 3-6), Saturday at noon EST (ESPN).

Line: Alabama by 32.

Series record: Alabama leads 22-8.

WHAT’S AT

STAKE?

No. 1 Alabama can’t afford to slip against an improved Arkansas squad. The Crimson Tide wrapped up the SEC West Division title last week in its convincing 55-17 win against LSU and will take on Florida in the SEC Championship game next week in Atlanta. Alabama has won 97 consecutive games against unranked teams under coach Nick Saban. Arkansas has been competitive under first-year coach Sam Pittman, but the program has had four straight losing seasons under three different head coaches. KEY MATCHUP Alabama QB Mac Jones vs. Arkansas pass defense. Jones ranks in the top 10 nationally in virtually every passing category and is completing 75.7% of his pass attempts. He has passed for 3,113 yards and 27 touchdowns with just three interceptions. Arkansas is allowing 263.2 yards passing per game — ninth in the SEC — but the Razorbacks are third nationally with 13 interceptions.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Alabama: RB Najee Harris, a 6-2, 230-pound senior, has rushed for 1,038 yards and 20 touchdowns. He also is the team’s third-leading receiver with 26 catches for 247 yards. Against Arkansas last season, Harris rushed for a pair of touchdowns in a 48-7 rout. He has rushed for a touchdown in 12 straight games.

Arkansas: WR Treylon Burks, a sophomore, has flourished under first-year offensive coordinator Kendall Briles. The 6-3, 232-pounder has 49 catches for 804 yards and seven touchdowns. Briles has found multiple ways to get Burks involved by using him not only as a receiver but also in the backfield. Against Missouri last week, Burks had a career-high 206 yards receiving.

FACTS & FIG

URES

The last time Arkansas defeated Alabama was 2006, when heralded freshman QB Mitch Mustain led the Razorbacks to a doubleovertime win, 24-23. … Last week against Missouri, Arkansas redshirt freshman QB KJ Jefferson earned a surprise start and was 18-of-33 passing for 274 yards and three touchdowns, while also rushing for a score. … Alabama WR DeVonta Smith caught eight passes for 231 yards against LSU last week, pushing his season numbers to 80 catches for 1,305 yards and 15 touchdowns.