STILLWATER, Okla. — Arkansas (1-0) heads to No. 16 Oklahoma State (1-0) on Saturday for its first matchup against the Cowboys since 1980.
The Razorbacks, who are looking to start 2-0 for a fourth consecutive year under head coach Sam Pittman, enter as 6.5-point underdogs and are 30-15-1 all-time against Oklahoma State.
A victory over the Cowboys would be Arkansas's first against a team inside the AP Top 25 since 2022 when they blew past then-No. 14 Ole Miss 42-27 at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville.
"They went to the Big 12 championship game last year, and they look to be headed north on that as well this year," Pittman said. "That's why all our kids came to play at Arkansas and in the SEC is for games like this, and we're really excited about it."
But going to Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater, Okla., and coming out with a victory is no easy accomplishment.
Since 2020, the Cowboys have boasted a 23-3 record at home, and Pittman credits some of that success to Oklahoma State's fans and the stadium environment.
"I know we’ll have to deal with a tight sideline and a very loud crowd,” Pittman said. "We can't let their fans be a distraction to us when we're trying to learn on the sidelines... I think they have 55,000 [people], but it's a loud stadium, so we've talked about that. Crowd noise will be a huge part of this week's preparation."
On the field, the Hogs must find a way to slow down running back Ollie Gordon II, seventh-year quarterback Alan Bowman and an experienced offensive line.
Additionally, Pittman said the Cowboys have a pair of linebackers who are "game changers."
3 keys to victory for Arkansas
Limit missed tackles:
During Monday's press conference, Pittman said he wasn't happy with how the Razorbacks tackled in their 70-0 season-opening win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff. He said there were so many missed tackles that the team had a "tackling circuit" on Aug. 31.
Arkansas will want to clean up those mistakes and reduce the number of extra yards allowed, especially against Oklahoma State, which runs an up-tempo offense that loves to fatigue opposing defenses.
The Cowboys posted 44 points and 394 total yards in their victory over South Dakota State last weekend, snapping the reigning FCS champion's 29-game winning streak.
“They came out and went fast-paced early,” Pittman said. “We certainly have to be ready for their fast-paced offense... they're really good at the skill spot."
According to Pittman, Gordon, the 2023 Doak Walker Award winner and last year's Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year, is a large part of Oklahoma State's offense and is tough to tackle.
"If we give [Gordon] two or three yards, he will get six or seven... we're going to have to tackle him one-on-one, but we're going to have to get a lot of guys around the ball," Pittman said. "We definitely understand how good he is... our tackling is going to have to be better."
The unanimous All-American led the nation with 1,732 rushing yards in 2023, averaging 6.1 yards per carry on 285 attempts.
Win the trench battle:
Last week's thrashing of Arkansas-Pine Bluff showed how important it is to win the battle in the trenches on both sides of the football.
Arkansas scored a touchdown on all 10 offensive possessions and became the only FBS or FCS team over the past 25 seasons to record a 70-plus point shutout while converting every third-down attempt in a game.
That success is primarily thanks to the Hogs in the trenches, sealing blocks so that running back Ja’Quinden Jackson could rumble for 101 yards and two touchdowns and giving quarterback Taylen Green time to rack up 317 total yards and four scores.
The winner of Saturday's matchup between Arkansas and Oklahoma State will be whoever gets the more significant push up front.
Pittman said the Cowboys have an experienced offensive line that plays well together. Breaking through their protection and getting into the backfield will be crucial to the Razorbacks' success, especially if that pressure can generate a few turnovers.
"They're a very physical group, and movement doesn't seem to bother them," Pittman said. "These guys have been playing together for a long time, and I think they have a lot of confidence in them."
Capitalize on red zone opportunities:
In 2023, Arkansas ranked No. 15 nationally in red zone scoring, capitalizing on 34 of 37 (91.89%) opportunities. Among those, 23 trips ended with a touchdown, while 11 ended with a field goal.
That efficiency kept the Razorbacks close against ranked opponents on the road last season—they lost to LSU by three points, Ole Miss by seven points and Alabama by three points.
Going into a hostile environment like Boone Pickens Stadium, Arkansas must sustain drives and capitalize on scoring opportunities.
Oklahoma State allowed opponents to score on 88.24% of their red zone trips last season.
"Defensively, they have some outstanding players over there," Pittman said. "[Linebackers] Collin Oliver and Nickolas Martin... those two guys are game changers. I also like their defensive line... they tackle extremely well, they play hard... just a well-coached football team."
If Pittman and offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino can't hit the big play, they need to prioritize getting the ball inside the 20-yard line and getting points on the scoreboard.
"I think this game is more than surprising somebody or schematics," Pittman said. "I think this is going to be a you're going to have to go whip somebody, physically to win. I don't think there's going to be a whole lot of mistakes. I think it's going to be a slobber knocker a little bit."
Arkansas and Oklahoma State will be in the national spotlight on Saturday. Coverage from Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater, Okla., begins at 11 a.m. on ABC.