The Razorbacks recorded their biggest win with Ryan Mallett under center on Saturday but how will they fare when Alabama comes to Fayetteville?
Tide must show some teeth Alabama’s defense has no shortage of athleticism and talent. In order to get a win on the road at Arkansas, the Crimson Tide’s defense will need to show one more trait: discipline. Alabama’s defense was fun to watch against Penn State, making some spectacular plays but also making silly mistakes. These errors allowed the Nittany Lions to keep some dignity but against Arkansas such mistakes could do a lot more.
The Razorbacks have a big-armed quarterback named Ryan Mallett who just recorded his first road win in the SEC. College Football betting fans witnessed the Hogs’ quarterback rip apart the Georgia secondary en route to a 31-24 victory on Saturday. Mallett was able to fool the Dawgs’ defense with his timing and decision-making, factors that could come into play against a young Tide defense.
While Arkansas can make a fight of this game, I still like Alabama to win. The big weakness with the Hogs’ offense is the short amount of time it spends on the field. This leaves the defense, a major weakness at Arkansas, facing the prospect of taking on Greg McElroy and pals for most of the afternoon. This Alabama offense looks too good and I expect a run-focused game that will eat up plenty of clock. Bet on Alabama to stay unbeaten and picking up a crucial road win in SEC play.
Gamecocks will benefit from the bye week South Carolina’s players have had a week to calm down from the high of beating Georgia and can now enter its second game of SEC play with cooler heads. Auburn awaits the Gamecocks, coming into this game after a close call against Clemson. The Tigers are the most untested teams in the Top 25 but that will all change after Saturday. With Marcus Lattimore and Stephen Garcia, the Gamecocks possess the offensive talent to test Auburn’s defense.
Lattimore will be the key player in this game. If the Gamecocks can trust him to carry the load and pound it up the middle, then I like them to win this game. Auburn’s offense is exciting to watch but it doesn’t control the clock. Look for a run-dominated game from the Gamecocks, much like I expect from Alabama against Arkansas, and a low-scoring win for South Carolina.
