The Arkansas Razorbacks (5-3, 3-2 SEC) are set to play the No. 19 Ole Miss Rebels (6-2, 2-2 SEC) at 11 a.m. CT Saturday at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville.
Ole Miss hasn't won in Fayetteville since 2008 and the Rebels will be looking to build on a 26-14 win over Oklahoma last week. The Razorbacks will try to play spoiler following a 58-25 domination of Mississippi State last time out.
"We're fairly healthy," Arkansas head coach Sam Pittman said Wednesday. "We know we're going to play a really good Ole Miss team. Well-coached. Coach (Lane) Kiffin, great football coach. His staff, lot of talent there, and we're looking forward to having them at home here 11 o'clock on ESPN."
Arkansas owns a 38-29-1 lead over Ole Miss in the all-time series, including a 13-2 advantage in games played in Fayetteville. The Rebels won last season, 27-20, on their home turf and the Razorbacks won, 42-27, last time the teams met at Razorback Stadium in 2022.
The Razorbacks are seeking their seventh 4-2 or better start in league play since joining the SEC in 1992. Previous starts of 4-2 or better include 1995 (5-2), 1998 (5-1), 2006 (6-0), 2010 (4-2), 2011 (5-1) and 2015 (4-2).
Arkansas is a 7.5-point underdog against the Rebels (BetSaracen). Here is how the HawgBeat staff is predicting Saturday's game, which will be broadcast on ESPN:
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- Arkansas vs. Ole Miss: Star comparison, PFF grades, season stats
- Arkansas football availability report - Ole Miss week
- Sam Pittman previews Ole Miss game on SEC Teleconference
- Arkansas vs Ole Miss: Fast Facts
- Know the Foe: Gaining Ole Miss insight with The Grove's Neal McCready
- VIDEO: Arkansas players press conference - Ole Miss week
- What Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin said about Arkansas
- VIDEO: Sam Pittman press conference - Ole Miss preview
- Arkansas injury updates ahead of Ole Miss game
- Two tight ends no longer with Razorbacks
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Mason Choate - Publisher
This is a game that Ole Miss cannot afford to lose if it wants to make the College Football Playoff. With a matchup against Georgia looming, this one could easily seem a lot less important.
As for Arkansas, the Hogs have the opportunity to knock off a ranked team before a bye week for the second time this season. The last time they did that was Oct. 5 against Tennessee, which is a team with a similar makeup to the Rebels.
I think the Razorbacks can absolutely win this game and I wouldn't be shocked if they do, but Ole Miss has to win this game.
Ole Miss 35, Arkansas 28
Riley McFerran - Managing Editor
This Ole Miss team is a hard one to judge. The defense is unquestionably good, but the offense has been seemingly…disappointing? That wasn’t what I expected in the preseason, but the Rebels have made it work for the most part up to this point.
The question is, was Arkansas’ offensive performance against Mississippi State a case of fool’s gold (I lean yes) and was the defensive performance a case of it playing down to its opponent (not as confident here with recent trends).
On paper, Ole Miss should win this game. It’s the better team and it matches up well against Arkansas. But college football is a fickle thing, and this series rarely showcases the predictable. In a very competitive and potentially rainy matchup, the Razorbacks get the ball last and...scratch that, the Rebels make one more big play than the Hogs and Lane Kiffin picks up his first win in Fayetteville in dramatic fashion.
Ole Miss 24, Arkansas 23
Daniel Fair - Staff Writer
The Arkansas Razorbacks have already defeated one team from Mississippi with a thrashing of Mississippi State last weekend, and now turn their sights to the Rebels, who always seem to give the Hogs a good game.
Taylen Green will need to replicate what he did last week and Braylen Russell will need to continue with his strong ground game if Arkansas wants to bring home a win.
I like Arkansas’ chances in this game, and it’s an extra help that it’s at home, but I haven’t seen the Hogs have sustained success from week to week since conference play started, so I’m picking against them this week.
Ole Miss 42, Arkansas 28
Jackson Collier - Basketball Recruiting Analyst
This game is a difficult one to read. On one hand, the Razorbacks have had the advantage when playing ranked Ole Miss opponents in Fayetteville of late. Dating back to 2014, Arkansas is 3-0 against ranked Ole Miss teams in Fayetteville, including a 42-27 victory in 2022.
On the other hand, though, this Ole Miss team is probably better than the three previous the Razorbacks have defeated. Head coach Lane Kiffin has the Rebels sitting at 6-2 (2-2) with close losses to LSU and Kentucky.
Arkansas' pass defense will be tested with the Rebels' vaunted passing attack and threat out wide in Tre Harris. Ole Miss is no stranger to putting up points, but has struggled to score in SEC play, averaging just 24.0 points per game in conference.
This game will boil down to a couple factors: (1) can Arkansas generate stops on defense, (2) can Arkansas execute in the red zone, and (3) can Arkansas take care of the ball?
If the Razorbacks do two of those three things, I think they win the game. The offense has looked much better recently and the addition of Patrick Kutas to the offensive line could prove crucial for the entire offense's success, given that the pass protection, and Taylen Green, looked much better when he was on the field.
I've wavered back and forth enough. As tough a read as it is, I'm going to have to go with Arkansas here.
Arkansas 30, Ole Miss 24
Kevin Bohannon - Baseball Recruiting Analyst
The Rebs and Hogs have had some memorable moments over the last 24 years. Who can forget the seven-overtime game in 2001 or the 4th and 25 play by Hunter Henry or Hudson Clark’s three picks in 2020?
Arkansas always gets up to play the Rebels and I think this Saturday will be no different. Defensive coordinator Travis Williams will have to tighten up his unit because the Rebels are better than their in-state brethren Mississippi State and Jaxson Dart is one of the best quarterback in the league.
Taylen Green continues to get better every week. Braylen Russell looked great against a bad defense. He will find it tougher to break runs against a stout Ole Miss defensive line.
I hate that this is an 11 a.m. game because the home field advantage could play a big factor. At the end of the day, I think Ole Miss has the intangibles and wins another close game.
Ole Miss 31, Arkansas 24
RECORDS (Overall, Against the Spread)
Mason Choate: 4-4 overall, 4-4 ATS
Riley McFerran: 4-4 overall, 4-4 ATS
Daniel Fair: 4-4 overall, 2-6 ATS
Jackson Collier: 5-3 overall, 5-3 ATS
Kevin Bohannon: 6-2 overall, 4-4 ATS