Saturday’s score prediction, scouting report
Arkansas football will play under the lights at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium for the first time this season when it hosts Big 12 foe BYU on Saturday. The Razorbacks (2-0) are hoping to start 3-0 for the third consecutive season and for the first time since 1977-1979 under the legendary Lou Holtz.
Both teams have one dominant and one unconvincing victory to their ledger in 2023. Arkansas followed a drubbing of Western Carolina with a lackluster performance against Kent State.
BYU (2-0) is coming to Fayetteville after a 41-16 victory over Southern Utah, which followed a pedestrian 14-0 victory against Sam Houston to open the season.
Here is a look at four things to watch from BYU and a score prediction.
Massive (literally) challenge for the defensive front
BYU's offensive line will provide a great test in the final week before Arkansas enters its SEC schedule. Every starting offensive linemen for the Cougars weighs at least 300 pounds, while the two tackles are both taller than 6foot-6.
Sam Pittman recruited left tackle Kingsley Suamatia while Pittman was still at Georgia. Right tackle Caleb Etienne is a bulked tower at 6-foot-8, 330 pounds. Together, the BYU offensive line has yet to give up a sack through the first two games.
Can Landon Jackson and Trajan Jeffcoat get home? Arkansas is fifth in the nation with nine sacks. Any pressure up front will make life easier for the Razorbacks' secondary, which also faces a stiff challenge.
Shapeshifting defense
BYU brought Jay Hill in as its new defensive coordinator this season to try and rectify a unit that allowed 408.1 yards a game last season. During spring ball, Hill promised a versatile, complicated defense that would be as comfortable dropping eight as blitzing six.
This will be a fun challenge for KJ Jefferson and Dan Enos. Rocket Sanders remains out for a running game that has struggled to get going, but in a game of gridiron chess, maybe Enos can make a few calls that take advan
tage of an aggressive defense.
And Jefferson had arguably the best game of his career last year against BYU. If he replicates that performance at all, it's hard to imagine BYU coming away with a road win.
A struggling run game. Sound familiar?
Like Arkansas, BYU hasn't been able to successfully run the football through two games. Actually, the Cougars have been even worse than the Razorbacks, averaging 79 yards a game and 2.8 yards a carry.
"Two teams that remind me a little bit of each other," Coach Pittman said. "I think their defense is playing outstanding. Their offense is playing well. Their defense is really playing well, like ours. It's a good matchup. They're a big, physical football team."
Arkansas can't let UNLV transfer Aidan Robbins or any of the BYU running backs get their season rolling Saturday night. Force BYU to be one-dimensional, and hope quarterback Kedon Slovis makes a few mistakes trying to push the ball downfield.
Revenge is out of sight, out of mind
Arkansas went into Utah last year and left with a 52-34 win that ended a three-game losing streak and somewhat saved the Razorbacks' season.
But BYU brought in roughly 60 new players as either freshmen or transfers. There are 11 new starters and less than half of the roster was on last year's team that lost to Arkansas. Revenge won't be the motivation for a Cougars team trying to enter its first season in the Big 12 3-0.
“Man, revenge can only get you so far. You know what I mean?” BYU head coach Kalani Sitake said. “I think the key for us is to keep things more simple than that.”
Prediction: Arkansas 31, BYU 23
Color me optimistic, but I think the Razorbacks' struggles against Kent State were more about trying to fix what's wrong rather than executing what they know is already right. KJ Jefferson will shine as a dual-threat, and Arkansas will take the training wheels off a passing offense that can be one of the best in the SEC this year. Undefeated heading to a night game in Death Valley. Can there be any complaints?