FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas welcomes Alabama-Birmingham to Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium on Saturday in the final non-conference tune-up game before starting SEC play.
The Razorbacks (1-1) and Blazers (1-1) have met only once on the gridiron, which Arkansas won 45-17 in 2014. UAB has lost 22 consecutive matchups with SEC schools, a losing streak that dates back to 2005.
Despite what history says, Arkansas head coach Sam Pittman said the Blazers shouldn't be taken lightly, especially with former Super Bowl champion quarterback Trent Dilfer at the helm.
"They play extremely hard, well-coached," Pittman said. "Dilfer does a wonderful job, and we're excited to play them."
Last Saturday's double-overtime loss to No. 13 Oklahoma State left a sour taste in the Razorbacks' mouths. It was a winnable game on the road against an AP Top 25 team.
“I think we have a really good team," Pittman said. "I love this team... I think they played extremely hard. We just made some mistakes that cost us the game.”
But unlike the week before against Arkansas-Pine Bluff, people learned a lot about this Arkansas football team and what it can become as the season progresses.
3 keys to victory for Arkansas
Play smart:
The schedule says Arkansas lost to Oklahoma State on Sept. 7. Still, those who watched the game saw the Razorbacks fumble away a 21-7 halftime lead despite racking up 648 total yards, the 10th-highest single-game total in program history.
Oklahoma State finished with 385 total yards, 263 less than the Hogs.
For perspective, there have been 338 games in which a team has accumulated 550+ yards and outgained its opponent by over 200 yards since 2020.
Those teams are now 337-1 with Arkansas's loss against Oklahoma State.
How does this happen? Well, it shows just how crucial it is to win the turnover battle and play smart, two things the Hogs failed to do against the Cowboys.
Arkansas committed three turnovers against Oklahoma State—one interception and two fumbles. They also turned the ball over on downs and committed seven penalties for 71 yards, one of which gave the Cowboys an automatic first down in what would have been a third-and-long situation.
“I don’t think anyone that watched the game thinks we don’t have a good football team,” Pittman said. “We made some mistakes, and we’ve got to hold onto the football. You can’t go into someone’s house and go three to one [turnover ratio]... and walk out of there winning.”
Oklahoma State scored 17 points off turnovers, the deciding factor in the Hogs' 39-31 loss.
“There’s a couple of things that we can clean up as coaches,” Pittman said. “[Oklahoma State] didn’t really stop us a whole lot… we kind of stopped ourselves. We inflicted our own wounds with three turnovers."
If the Razorbacks want to beat UAB, they must play smart and learn from last week's mistakes.
“We left a lot of points out there, and we have to figure out how to finish drives,” Pittman said. “We had 648 yards on offense, so we have to figure out a way to finish drives and not have those critical problems.”
Establish the run early:
Mistakes aside, Arkansas's offense has improved tremendously under new offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino compared to last season.
The Hogs rank second in the country in total offense (667.5 YPG), only behind Ole Miss (713.5 YPG). The team also ranks ninth in the country in scoring offense (50.5 PPG).
Arkansas's rushing attack, led by running back Ja’Quinden Jackson, a transfer from Utah, has been a massive factor in that success.
Jackson got going early and ended up having a career game against Oklahoma State, running wild for a career-high 149 yards and three touchdowns on 24 carries. He currently ranks 13th in the country in rushing yards (250) and is tied for third in rushing touchdowns (5).
Pittman and Petrino know how important it is to establish the run game, especially in the first half. When done successfully, the Razorback offense is at its best, which will be critical against Alabama-Birmingham as they allow 163 rushing yards per game.
Once opposing defenses load the box to try to stop Jackson, quarterback Taylen Green and his plethora of weapons can take advantage through the air, opening up a whole new part of the playbook.
According to Pro Football Focus, Green is the highest-graded passer in the country on third and fourth downs through the first two weeks of the season.
Good luck to opposing defenses once Arkansas establishes its rushing attack.
Generate pressure on defense:
During Monday's press conference, Pittman admitted that his team needs to be more aggressive on defense.
The Razorbacks recorded one sack against Oklahoma State and have only five through two games. They're not generating much pressure on the quarterback or getting stops in the backfield, allowing opposing offenses to settle into a comfortable rhythm.
"We have one turnover in two games… I think we also have one sack,” Pittman said. “We have to pressure, and I believe we will. We have to rush more with our defensive line, but at the same time, we may have to pressure a little bit more.”
UAB's offensive line allowed five sacks in its 32-6 loss to Louisiana-Monroe last weekend, leaving plenty of opportunity for Arkansas to wreak havoc in the trenches and possibly force some turnovers.
"They do a lot [on offense]," Pittman said. "Their quarterback [Jacob Zeno] is a good player… he’s a transfer from Baylor. They like to throw it, and he's a pocket guy."
Since 2020, the Hogs have totaled 47 interceptions in 50 games, the fifth-most among all SEC teams during that span.
Arkansas and Alabama-Birmingham take the field on Saturday. Coverage from Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville begins at 3:15 p.m. on the SEC Network.