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FAYETTEVILLE — With the outside noise growing louder by the week, Chad Morris has looked into his past and across the world of sports for sources of optimism to share with his team.

Coming off a disappointing loss at Kentucky, Arkansas is 2-4 (0-3) and staring at another winless season in SEC play as No. 11 Auburn comes to Fayetteville.

However, Morris has been in pretty much this exact same spot before. After going 2-10 in his first season at SMU, the Mustangs lost a heartbreaking road game in overtime at Tulsa to fall to 2-4 in his second season. They were back home for their next game: a matchup with No. 11 Houston.

Sure enough, Morris and SMU cruised to a 38-16 upset victory over the Cougars and ended up winning three of four games before dropping the final two games to finish 5-7. That set the stage for a 7-5 record in Year 3.

If that wasn’t enough inspiration, the second-year coach also brought up the Washington Nationals, which just clinched a spot in the World Series for the first time in franchise history. They were 12 games under .500 on May 23, but went 74-38 (.661) from that point on to earn a wild card spot and are now four wins away from a championship.

There is no doubt that it’ll be a tall task for Arkansas on Saturday, though. The Tigers are 19-point favorites and boast one of the best defensive lines in the country.

Here are a few more tidbits about the game, which kicks off at 11 a.m. and will be televised on the SEC Network…

~Arkansas will be honoring Darren McFadden, who was selected for the College Football Hall of Fame this year, between the first and second quarter of Saturday’s game against Auburn. He’ll also join the team on its Hog Walk into the stadium.

~The 1969 and 1989 teams will be recognized, as well, celebrating their 50th and 30th anniversaries, respectively. Both squads lost only one regular-season game - to Texas - and then lost to future SEC opponents in their bowl games. The 1969 loss to Texas is known as the “Game of the Century.” The 1979 team - which won a SWC title - will be honored during the Mississippi State game later this season.

~Tight end Chase Harrell will serve as the team’s rotating offensive captain against Auburn. He’ll be joined by permanent defensive captains McTelvin Agim, De’Jon Harris and T.J. Smith for the coin toss. Previous offensive captains have been Colton Jackson (Portland State), Mike Woods (Ole Miss), Rakeem Boyd (Colorado State), Ty Clary (San Jose State), Devwah Whaley (Texas A&M) and Hayden Johnson (Kentucky).

~Morris’ relationship with Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn is well known. The Arkansas coach actually visited Malzahn when he was still the coach at Springdale High and implemented his offense at Stephenville High in Texas. Their friendship continues to this day and they talk on a weekly basis - except for the week they play each other.

~In last year’s matchup with the Tigers, the Razorbacks’ defense limited them to only 225 total yards of offense. That’s the second-lowest total for a Malzahn-led offense at home since he broke into the college ranks in 2006. Morris said the key to that last year was limiting big plays and a well-executed plan to get off the field on third down.

~Cornerback Jarques McClellion said he faced Auburn wide receiver Anthony Schwartz in high school. They actually went to the American Heritage sister high schools in Florida, as McClellion attended the Delray Beach campus and Schwartz attended the Plantation campus. “It was a good battle,” McClellion said. “Ain’t nobody really win. He caught some little drag routes, I locked him up sometimes, but it’s no big thing.”