FAYETTEVILLE -- The struggling Arkansas secondary will meet its toughest test of the season when Mississippi State comes to town Saturday.
The Bulldogs - who have won three of their last four games, including two top-15 wins over Texas A&M and Kentucky - have the nation's fourth-best passing attack and sophomore quarterback Will Rogers leads the SEC in passing.
Mississippi State head coach Mike Leach is notorious for his air-raid style offense, and the Arkansas secondary has been a weakness on the defensive side as of late.
Rogers set the SEC single-game record for completion percentage against Kentucky last week, when he was 36 of 39 (92.3%) for 344 yards and a touchdown during the Bulldogs’ 31-17 victory.
“Will Rogers was incredible on Saturday,” Pittman said. “I think he was 36-for-39. They protect him really well. Nobody really got close to him.”
Through eight games, Rogers is averaging a league-high 361 passing yards per game. He’s completing an FBS-best 75.2% of his passes, despite throwing the ball more than any other quarterback in the country, attempting 54.5 passes per game.
Mississippi State’s wide receiver corps has done a great job of helping Rogers each week. The group is highlighted by junior Makai Polk, who leads the SEC with 63 catches for 603 yards and six touchdowns.
