The Pigs will have to slow down one Rebel player to stand a chance

Arkansas faces a tough task on Saturday, but a win should secure the Razorbacks’ spot in the national polls. The problem is that Ole Miss is talented on both sides of the ball and desperately wants to win. For the rebels to achieve their greatest goal, this is a necessary victory.

The Rebs can still earn a spot in the 12-team playoff at the end of the season, but can’t afford another loss. Arkansas plays for pride, respect among its SEC peers, another dose of national recognition and better bowling.

Kickoff at Razorback Stadium is set for 11 a.m. and a large crowd is expected. However, if the match starts early, the fans usually do not play such an important role and some of the home field advantage may be lost. ESPN is televising the fight.

Ole Miss (6-2, 4-2) eliminated Oklahoma in the second half last week and poses a threat to the Arkansas (5-3, 3-2) offense. The Rebels were ranked No. 19 in this week’s AP poll, while the Razorbacks received votes for No. 31.

It could be tough against Ole Miss’ talented defensive line. Slowing down the Rebels’ passing game is also easier said than done. When it comes to coach Lane Kiffin’s big-play offense, the Razorbacks better watch out for the dynamic duo lining up at cornerback and receiver.

Here’s a short list of people Arkansas players and coaches lost sleep this week:

• Sophomore linebacker Santarin Perkins, 8.5 sacks, 12 tackles for loss.

• Junior guard Walter Nolen, 6-3 and 205, is a unanimous top-3 transfer from Texas A&M, a former 5-star prospect.

• Senior defensive end Jared Ivey, 6-6 and 285, Georgia Tech transfer, Peach Bowl defensive MVP, six sacks in seven games.

• Redshirt junior Chris Paul, a transfer from Arkansas, leads Ole Miss in tackles with 59; three seasons with Hogs

• Senior guard Henry Parrish Jr. went from Ole Miss to Miami for two years before returning to the Rebels; leads team with 10 touchdowns, averages 82 yards rushing on 656 on 120 carries

• Senior Tre Harris, 6-3 and 210, is averaging 141 yards per game, 987 yards on 59 catches, 16.7 per catch and six touchdowns in seven games; The Louisiana Tech transfer was second team All SEC last year.

These are a bunch of talented rebels to worry about. But there is one guy the Hogs better slow down if they hope to have a chance to win. Yes, slow down, because they are not going to stop the initiator of Kiffin’s usually powerful offense.

Who are we talking about, you ask? Dart thrower, best passer in the SEC. This is Jackson Dart, perhaps the most dangerous passer in the SEC.

So, should the Razorbacks be shaking in their expensive football shoes? Not really trembling, because athletes don’t tremble. They prepare and expect to win.

The odds say otherwise, having Ole Miss is favored with 7.5 points. according to a Sports Illustrated article Tuesday. The UnderHogs have been there before, being a rare favorite last week against Mississippi State when they pulled out a 58-25 win.

Arkansas’ defensive line, led by 6-8, 280-pound end Landon Jackson, could be the key to the Razorbacks winning their fourth conference game in six tries. Against a battered Ole Miss offensive line, this could be a key positional matchup, especially if the Rebs up front can’t keep Jackson and company from going after Dart.

However, it won’t be an easy task against the SEC’s top defense on Saturday. Dart is a senior and only lasted three seasons at Ole Miss, although Sam Pittman thinks it was longer.

“He’s going to have to graduate someday,” said Pittman, Arkansas’ fifth-year coach. He needs to get out of there.”

Dart started his career at Southern California and started three games as a true freshman. The former four-star recruit from Utah transferred when coach Lincoln Riley took over the USC program and Caleb Williams followed him from Oklahoma.

Yes, this is the same Caleb Williams who won the Heisman Trophy in 2022 and was selected first overall in the last NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears, who immediately made him their starter. Meanwhile, Dart lit it up at Ole Miss.

He leads the league in passing with 337 yards per game; Add in the number of reserve players, and Ole Miss is averaging 354 per outing. Okay, you ask, but are the rebels making money? Yep, in the spirit of the SEC’s top-scoring offense (39.5 per game).

Here’s some good news for Arkansas fans and players: Ole Miss only outscores opponents 24-16.5 in SEC play. Dart throws for just 285.5 yards per game. From the Rebels’ perspective, that’s still a good record, but it’s been boosted by a pair of early-season losses against “Thanks for the Check” schools.

For Pittman and his defensive coaches, that means less sleep than usual this week. According to Chief Hog, Darth is a nightmare waiting to happen.

“Outstanding,” Pittman summed up the Ole Miss quarterback in one word. “The thing that you and him don’t really realize, or maybe you do, is his ability to run. I mean, he can throw. There’s something Mahomes-like about him. I compare the magic shots he makes because he can make them. I mean, are you going to, how did he dig it up?

“But he’s also very dangerous because he can run, he’s very, very competitive and very, very confident. He’s the kind of guy you want to lead your program.”

Dart has 207 yards on 67 carries for a 3.1 yard average. He’s also been sacked 17 times, and his yardage rate (don’t ask me why, it’s stupid) comes from QB stats and team rushing. Dart gave up 99 yards, mostly on sacks, so give him 307 total yards and he’d gain just under 40 yards per game.

Dart has three rushing touchdowns and a 17-yard TD run, although he has double-digit carries in six of Ole Miss’ eight games. However, he is most dangerous in the pocket looking for receivers.

Hogs quarterback Tylen Green, on the other hand, rushed for 570 yards but had 175 yards in losses (mostly sacks, of course) with 395 net yards on the ground. He’s dangerous in the pocket, and even more so when he’s running.

So one quarterback reminds people of Lamar Jackson or Cam Newton (meaning a game-changing running back who scores touchdowns anywhere), and the other reminds people of Justin Herbert, a capable runner.

We’ll see on Saturday which one gives opposing defenses the most problems and which one generates the most yards.

I almost forgot this: Arkansas ranks ninth out of 16 SEC teams in sacks, with 18 total. Ole Miss ranks first with 34, a fact that is not lost on Pittman.

“They will be a big test,” Pittman said. “They’re good. They are good at every position (on the defensive line). I mean, really good.”

This means the Pigs must stay ahead of the chains and avoid third and long situations. They will have to avoid negative running plays and play well at the pass tackle spots to protect Green.

“We’re doing better (tackling),” Pittman said. “But it’s a big challenge for us and we might have to throw a draw or screen here and there to try to slow down that pass. Have different numbers of moments. Because they are obviously very, very talented.”

• Washington learned a hard lesson with his firing, but can benefit in the long run

• Calipari brand goes national with Razorbacks in World Series

• Razorbacks see similarities between NBA All-Star and Hogs big man

• Razorbacks’ Pittman praises Ole Miss offense

• The Razorback tight end is finally his true self again.

• Subscribe and follow us further YouTube
• Follow HogsSI on X And Facebook