ARKANSAS vs. ALABAMA: HOW WE SEE IT

CLAY HENRY, HAWGS ILLUSTRATED

If playing hard is the essence of coaching, Chad Morris has made progress with the Razorbacks in the last two weeks. Can they make progress this week against Alabama? That’s doubtful because the Crimson Tide will expose all of your weaknesses and the Hogs still have some, especially in the offensive line. The worst part of this game is that Alabama can expose the Arkansas secondary. Any mistakes in the back end will result in a touchdown, and that’s the part of the defense that still needs to do more than play hard. Alabama, 42-17 HARRY KING, HAWGS ILLUSTRATED

The visitors look like the best in the country by far and the home team might be the least talented team in the SEC West. Alabama, 45-14 DUDLEY DAWSON, HAWGS ILLUSTRATED

Nick Saban is a bad, bad man with a great, great football team. Arkansas’ improvement this week might just be incremental, but the second half of the season should provide opportunities for more wins. Alabama, 52-10

BO MATTINGLY, SPORTS TALK WITH BO

It’s too bad Arkansas can’t flip the schedule and play Ole Miss this week because I think they would win. Playing Alabama in the middle of what I’ll call an improvement streak is tough for the Hogs, who will find it difficult to show improvement this week. Alabama is dominating college football and can name the score in this game and most of the others. There are two questions: How much will Jalen Hurts play and how will this game affect Arkansas the following week against Ole Miss? Alabama, 52-7 SCOTTIE BORDELON, WHOLE HOG SPORTS

The Crimson Tide look to be the most complete team in college football by a wide margin. Now fielding a prolific passing attack, Alabama just isn’t playing fair. Alabama, 49-7. MATT JONES, WHOLE HOG SPORTS

The best thing Arkansas can hope for is to get through the game without injuries. Alabama continues its steamroll through the season. Alabama, 45-6

BART POHLMAN, SPORTS TALK WITH BO

Arkansas has improved; there’s no question about that. But the Razorbacks have not improved enough to hang with Alabama. As well as the defense has played, this will be their biggest test. Unfortunately, it will be hard for the Arkansas offense to score much. Alabama, 42-10 TOMMY CRAFT, ESPN ARKANSAS

With all the progress made over the past two weeks by the Hogs, I still don’t believe it’s enough to even approach being competitive with Alabama on Saturday. That’s just how good Alabama is. SEC wins are coming, just not THIS week. Alabama, 49-6 CHIP SOUZA, NWA DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE

The may be the best Alabama team that Nick Saban has had, which does not bode well for Arkansas. Bama’s defense has always been excellent, and now the Tide has an offense that is among the best in the country. Alabama 55-10.

Selected comments from the message boards at WholeHog Sports.com.

What’s the long-term solution for Razorback football?

Hogdr: Gotta recruit our way out of this. Especially on the offensive line. All of our woes are on our OL. They’re trying. Just too much of a gap because of previous misses and attrition in the past few years. … All the wringing of hands about our staff is premature. We won’t know if this crew can win in the SEC West for a couple more years…

Texhog: Great and intelligent post. A fan that knows football.

On the performance of the Arkansas defense so far.

Tuschhawg: Is our defense pretty fair, perhaps capable of stopping Ole Miss and maybe LSU? These last two games they seem to be living a little more up to the pre-season hype. I like seeing our pass defense challenge good quarterbacks. I like seeing an effective pass rush. …These last two moral victories have me feeling a little better about our ole Hogs. Jhawg: I don’t think they are. We are strong against the run. Ole Miss has a great passing game. They will outscore our feeble offense. LSU will just stuff our offense. They are good. Their offense is solid with a decent quarterback. Our defense is pretty solid, but I just don’t see us winning either game.

youdaman: It will be all about “can we stay healthy?” We can stay with everyone but ‘Bama in my opinion. We just have to get an offense that can win the game and not just stay in it.

Jungle: If we have our corners show up to play we might have a chance stopping Ole Moss. Their wide receivers are all very good.

HoginSA: Yes, our D is better than pretty fair. If our O-line could block this would be a pretty good, not great, team. It is hard to play good D when your offense is bad.

BobgHawg: I think we have improved a lot, but keep in mind the other teams do not sit still. I hope the last few games are close enough for us to maybe win a couple, but we may end up with only two wins.

Buckhog: Before the season started, I thought the offense would have no problem scoring points and was concerned about the defense. The defense is a pleasant surprise. They are much improved. Now, let’s get the offense clicking. Something tells me it won’t be Saturday, however.

Ricemanb54: Well, the speculation that defensive coordinator John Chavis was over the hill and was no longer a top defensive coordinator has been proven totally false. The improvement in the defense in two SEC games is almost unbelievable. These are basically the same players that have played the last two years. The overall talent is not up to elite SEC standards, but with good coaching they have outplayed the defense of two top 25 SEC teams. This defense is a strength of this team and no one say this. Jimbeau77: I think John Chavis may have a chip on his shoulder after all the previous comments about his decline as a DC.

HogQ: I was pretty vocal about being against this hire but I will eat some crow. I was wrong about him. He and Steve Caldwell are doing a good job. This is something I am happy to be wrong about.

Is Arkansas’ offense really “up-tempo”?

youdaman: We are supposedly going to play as fast as anybody and we haven’t run more than a few plays up-tempo. I don’t know what the reason is but we trained for it and aren’t using it. We might just get somebody to line up wrong if we did. This offense needs all the help it can get.

Hogfanfish: Hard to go up-tempo when you can’t get first downs and need to rest the defense.

RandyReece: This exactly. It was noted in a couple of NFL games Sunday. Up-tempo teams can be forced to slow down. Arkansas has enough problems with execution. Probably need to get other things right first.

Clay Henry: I think the time to go up-tempo is generally when you think there is a mismatch. That happens most after a thirddown conversion. You have their nickel back on the field and want to lock them on the field by not substituting. Unfortunately the Hogs are last in the SEC in thirddown conversions at 29 percent.

Predictions for today’s game against No. 1 Alabama. GeneralHog: 21-20 Arkansas. MckinneyHog: I hope GeneralHog’s prediction comes true. I think we finally solve the special teams problems and not allow any touchdown returns. The defense will play well , 28-7, ‘Bama,

Donwells:It’s hard to believe we score at all on them. Auburn allowed three points and Alabama is better than them. So having said that, 56-0 by my head, but by my heart, says 28-17, good guys. Jhawg: ‘Bama has a superb passing game. Our defensive strength is against the run. I am surprised there is a line on this one. Coach Saban has pretty much been classy about running up the score. Neckabama 56, Arkansas 10.

Lilhawg: Whatever Nick wants it to be … Swind before pearls: The Tide rolls in, 37-7.

Jrjdent: 56-7, ‘Bama. Razorwill: Bama can name the score. That being said, our defense comes down to earth this week. ‘Bama can score at will against us.. … No optimistic at all. eaglehog5: Bummer 49, Hogs

3.

Sui Generis: 44-6, them. Georgia Hawg: 34-17 Alabama. To keep them in the low- to mid30s will be a monumental defensive feat. Improvement trend will continue and be visible. The worst 19-game stretch in Razorback history comes to a merciful end with the Alabama loss.

Hogbacker: We play well enough to make every game after Saturday a possible win and I will be content for now! Hogs 17, Tide 35. Bayouhog: I am with the General. I think it’s an upset of epic proportions! Three to four turnovers by ‘Bama result in points. Hogs win with a field goal as time expires, 23-21. Jackson Reid: I have to ask, do you REALLY think that or are you substituting the word hope for the word think in this prediction?

daBoar: That might be the score against Alabama’s third team. Buckhog: I never predict the Hogs to lose. It’s time for one of the elite teams to get an upset. Hogs shock college football and get rolling. Hogs 27, Gumps 21. A big defensive stop in the closing minute allows the Hogs to go into the Victory Formation to close the game. LDHog: Hogs 21, Tide 20. 25,000 fans storm the field.

Hogsrus: Just play hard on both sides of the ball and get to next week without injuries and it’s good for me. HarleyHawgidson: ‘Bama 49-14. Hogs “hold” ‘Bama offense to 35, but the ‘Bama D scores two TDs. Hogs score two fourth quarter touchdowns with Conner Noland at quarterback.. Saban screams at his third team defense and his DC for allowing them.

Neastarkie: I’d be thrilled if we only lost 38-17, but I don’t think we can keep it that close.