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Prior to the start of the season, most people had Arkansas’ matchup with Georgia this Saturday penciled in as a loss.
Though the Razorbacks have rocketed up to No. 8 in the AP Poll, the odds-makers still have them as an 18.5-point underdog against the No. 2 Bulldogs.
From top to bottom, Georgia is loaded with talent that Razorback head coach Sam Pittman said he hopes to have one day. It is no coincidence that the Bulldogs lead the nation in scoring and total defense.
“Hopefully Arkansas will get that way here soon in the near future, where somebody leaves and the next guy steps in and he may be as good or he may be better than the guy that left,” Pittman said. “But that's where Georgia is, and that's a credit to their staff and Kirby (Smart) for recruiting.”
Unfortunately for the Hogs, Georgia only got better over the past week as they returned a few key pieces on both sides of the ball. All-American defensive back Tykee Smith and former five-star tight end Darnell Washington join standout receivers Dominick Blaylock and Arian Smith as players who should return for this contest.
“We know the task is going to be very difficult because we understand what kind of players they have and what kind of coaching staff they have,” Pittman said on Wednesday’s SEC coaches teleconference.
Georgia is the heavy favorite, but each team has a shot at winning this one.
Why Georgia will win
Having the best defense in the entire country makes things a lot easier when it comes to winning a football game. If Georgia wins, it will be because the Arkansas offense could not move the football.
In last week’s win over Texas A&M, the Razorbacks struggled to run the ball consistently in the second half. They broke off a few runs of 10-plus yards, but the bulk of the carries were for less than five yards. Add in the fact that the passing game was virtually non-existent, mainly due to the KJ Jefferson injury, and it could spell trouble for the Hogs.
The Aggies did not exactly provide a blueprint for how to stop the Arkansas offense, but they exposed holes that Georgia will surely try to take advantage of. The scary thing for the Hogs is, Bulldog head coach Kirby Smart said he does not think his defense has reached its full potential.
