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The Razorbacks host the Spartans on Saturday, Sept. 21 at home in primetime (6:30 p.m.) on SECNetwork.

2018 record: 1-11 (1-7 MWC)

Simply put, San Jose State was one of the worst teams in the FBS last year. The Spartans ranked near the bottom most statistics - as seen below - and were No. 115 out of 130 in the S&P+. They lost to FCS UC Davis to open the season, kept it relatively close against Oregon (lost by 13), dropped a five-overtime heartbreaker to Hawaii and came close to knocking off San Diego State (lost 16-13) before finally beating UNLV 50-37 for their lone win of the season. However, San Jose State couldn’t build any momentum off that victory and ended the year on a four-game losing streak, dropping them by an average of 20 points.

Head coach: Brent Brennan (3rd season)

Despite having only one year of experience as a co-offensive coordinator on his resume, Brennan was hired as San Jose State’s coach following the 2016 season. He joined the Spartans after six seasons as Oregon State’s wide receivers coach. That stint followed six years at San Jose State in various roles, including as co-offensive coordinator in 2009. Brennan was Dick Tomey’s receivers coach and recruiting coordinator when the Spartans went 9-4 and won the New Mexico Bowl - its first bowl appearance in 16 years - in 2006. That connection to the school likely helped him land the job, but it hasn’t gone particularly well, as he’s won just three games in his first two seasons.

Key Returners

~QB Josh Love: Limited to eight games because of injuries last season… Completed 56.1 percent of his passes for 1,963 yards, 14 TD and 9 INT… Had a 451-yard effort against Hawaii… Has made 14 career starts… Will be a fifth-year senior

~RB Tyler Nevens: Leading rusher in 2018 with 554 yards and four TD on 579 yards… Also led team in rushing as a freshman in 2017 with 586 yards and 1 TD on 141 carries

~WR Tre Walker: Despite missing three games, led SJSU in receiving with 39 catches for 714 yards and 5 TD… Had monster 209-yard game against Utah State… Has 65 receptions for 1,002 yards and 6 TD in first two seasons

~WR Bailey Gaither: Caught 16 passes for 327 yards and 3 TD in first four games last season before suffering a season-ending Achilles tear… Includes a 6-catch, 90-yard performance against Oregon… Will be a fifth-year senior

~LB Ethan Aguayo: Made team-high 106 tackles last season… Also had four TFL and three pass breakups… Honorable mention All-MWC… Will be a fifth-year senior and fourth-year starter

~LB Jesse Osuna: Second-leading tackler last season with 93… Made team-high 10 TFL, including two sacks, and also recovered three fumbles… Will be a fifth-year senior

~S Jay Lenard: Tied for third-leading tackler last season with 91… Also had 5.5 TFL, four pass breakups and one INT… Started last 18 games

Significant Losses

~TE Josh Oliver: Third-round draft pick… Caught team-high 56 passes last season… Second on the team with 709 yards and 4 TD… Started 36 career games

~WR Tre Hartley: Graduated… Caught 32 passes for 446 yards and 3 TD last season… Finished career with 102 receptions, 1,545 yards and 9 TD

~LB Jamal Scott: Graduated… Tied for third-leading tackler last season with 91… Second on the team with 2.5 sacks

~DT Boogie Roberts: Graduated… Made 48 tackles last season, including 8.5 TFL

~DT Bryson Bridges: Graduated… Made 69 tackles last season, including eight TFL

~CB Dakari Monroe: Graduated… First-team All-MWC… Had 15 pass breakups (second in the MWC) and 4 INT (tied for first in the MWC)

Notable Additions

Rivals ranks only the top 100 recruiting classes and that does not include San Jose State for 2019. All 20 of the Spartans’ signees who are in the Rivals database are two-star prospects and give them 570 points, which is far below the 840-point cutoff to be included in the top 100 classes. According to 247Sports, San Jose State’s 2019 class was ranked 118th in college football - eight spots behind FCS Portland State, Arkansas’ Week 1 opponent.

~TE Dominick Mazotti: 5.4 two-star recruit… Also had FBS offers from Cal, UConn, UMass, UNLV and Wyoming… Offered by UConn as a quarterback

~RB Darrin Smith: 5.4 two-star recruit… Played at Frisco (Texas) Lone Star High… Also reported Power Five offers from Colorado, Nebraska, TCU and Virginia Tech

~OL Scott Breslin: JUCO transfer from Ventura College… 5.3 two-star recruit… Blocked for Ricky Town as a freshman in junior college

~P Alex Galland: Graduate transfer from Yale… Second-team All-Ivy League selection in 2017

2018 Stats (FBS rank, out of 130 teams)

Scoring offense: 21.3 points/game (117th)

Total offense: 323.7 yards/game (123rd)

Rushing offense: 61.5 yards/game (130th)

Passing offense: 262.2 yards/game (32nd)

Third down percentage: 32.8 percent (121st)

Sacks allowed/game: 3.25 (t-122nd)

Scoring defense: 36.6 points allowed/game (115th)

Total defense: 495.1 yards allowed/game (126th)

Rushing defense: 211.2 yards allowed/game (107th)

Passing defense: 283.9 yards allowed/game (127th)

Opponents’ third down percentage: 41.1 percent (86th)

Sacks/game: 0.92 (t-126th)

Turnover margin: +0.08 turnovers/game (t-57th)

Series History

This will be the two teams’ first ever meeting in football, but both are familiar with the other’s conference. San Jose State has played six games against SEC schools, losing to Alabama, Auburn (twice), Florida (twice) and LSU by an average of 35.5 points.

The closest the Spartans came to winning one of those games was against LSU in 1999. In the season opener, they lost to the Tigers’ worst team of the last two and a half decades by a final score of 29-21. San Jose State actually pulled within two points with a touchdown early in the fourth quarter before LSU put it away.

Arkansas has a very good record against the Mountain West, but - as fans likely remember - it’s not perfect. Just last year, the Razorbacks blew an 18-point lead against Colorado State. They also lost to UNLV in the 2000 Las Vegas Bowl by a large margin - 31-14 final - and needed a last-second touchdown to beat the Rebels in the next season’s opener at War Memorial Stadium.

Overall, Arkansas is 14-2 all-time against teams currently in the Mountain West, including games that happened before the conference was formed in 1999 and against teams who joined the conference after the date of their game against the Razorbacks.

Hutch’s Take

San Jose State is just not very good and should be a relatively easy win for the Razorbacks. The Spartans won just one game last year and are 3-22 over the last two seasons.

Of course, as it learned last year, Arkansas shouldn’t overlook anyone and there is reason to believe San Jose State will be better in 2019. It returns an an old and experienced starting quarterback in Josh Love and several other pieces on offense, even though it lost an all-conference tight end.

That passing attack might manage a few points against Arkansas’ still young secondary, but there could also be several chances for the Razorbacks’ defensive backs to notch their first career interceptions if they haven’t already by Week 4.

Defensively, the Spartans will have three of their top four tacklers back…but from a unit that gave up nearly 500 yards per game. Take the over.

Arkansas 62, San Jose State 24