FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas will look to get back in the win column when it returns home for only the second time in six weeks to take on No. 4 Tennessee on Saturday at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium.
The Razorbacks (3-2, 1-1 SEC) have won three consecutive meetings against the Volunteers (4-0, 1-0 SEC) and the last three meetings between the two teams in Fayetteville. Tennessee owns a 13-6 all-time record against the Hogs.
"They have a really well-rounded team," Arkansas head coach Pittman said. "Just a really good football team. We're excited to play the number four team in the country. [Tennessee] will be the best team we've played so far, and we're excited about it and excited to be home in front of our crowd."
Tennessee has been dominant through the season's first four games, and Pittman acknowledged just how perfect the Razorbacks need to be to get back on track and win.
Arkansas is trying to bounce back from a 21-17 loss to Texas A&M and improve to 2-1 in SEC play for the first time since 2011, when now-offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino led the Razorbacks.
"We played a good game [against Texas A&M], but we allowed the same thing that hurt us against Auburn," Pittman said. "[Tennessee] is a totally different team than what came here going on five years ago... we're excited about Tennessee coming. The fans should be excited about it."
The Razorbacks are eyeing their first home victory over a top-five opponent since defeating No. 3 Tennessee, 28-24, on November 13, 1999.
3 keys to victory for Arkansas
Limit mistakes:
Arkansas committed 10 penalties and three turnovers in its 21-17 loss to Texas A&M last weekend. The miscues crushed the Razorbacks, especially in the second half. Arkansas has committed the seventh most penalties in the SEC, averaging 6.6 per contest.
Pittman said they'll have to clean things up if they want to upset Tennessee, and it starts with ball security and protecting quarterback Taylen Green.
"If we just held on to the football, we'd be a really good football team," Pittman said. "We've got a lot of problems. We've got a confidence problem. We have a quarterback that's not confident. There are times when he can stand in the pocket... times where he stays in the pocket, and gets hit."
Green, a transfer from Boise State, ranks third in the conference in passing yards (1,236), but has also thrown the second-most interceptions (5) and has completed 88-of-162 (54.3%) passes for the third-worst completion percentage.
Pittman said Green and the offensive line need to get on the same page, and throwing quick passes and leaning on the rushing attack can help establish that sense of trust.
Arkansas's rushing attack is third in the country in rushing touchdowns (18) and 15th in rushing yards per game (24).
"To take pressure off the offensive line and our quarterback, we have to run the ball a little bit more, quick game so we can build some trust between [Green] and the offensive line," Pittman said. "[Green] has to get better, offensive line has to get better."
On Saturday, the Razorback offense will see its toughest test of the season, as Tennessee's defense is among the best in the FBS in seven major categories:
Total defense (1st – 176.0 yards per game)
Yards per play allowed (1st – 3.13 yards per play)
Third-down defense (1st – 17.0%)
First down defense (1st – 11.0%)
Scoring defense (2nd – 7.0 points per game)
Rushing defense (2nd – 50.8 rushing yards per game)
Pass defense (4th – 125.3 passing yards per game)
The Volunteers have surrendered only two offensive touchdowns this season, the fewest in the country. They haven't allowed an offensive touchdown in 19 of the last 20 quarters.
Playing a clean game and staying true to strengths will be vital for Arkansas against Tennessee.
Start fast:
The Razorbacks are welcoming a red-hot Tennessee team to Fayetteville, and they can't afford to fall behind quickly because the game could get out of hand.
The Volunteers are on a six-game winning streak, the fourth-longest in the nation dating back to last season. All six victories have come by double-digits, and they are one of four FBS programs who have not trailed this season, joining Texas, Indiana and Army.
"If they get going on you, they're hard to stop because they go so fast," Pittman said. "Obviously, to start like that, they're well-prepared on both sides of the ball. We have to match that to have success on Saturday, which we plan on having."
Under Pittman's leadership, Arkansas is 6-16 overall in one-score games, so getting going right from the opening kickoff is imperative.
Tennessee has outscored opponents 149-6 in the first half of this season and has a +188 point differential, the seventh-best by an FBS team through four games since 2000.
Shut down QB Nico Iamaleava and RB Dylan Sampson:
During Monday's press conference, Pittman praised Tennessee quarterback Nico Imaleava and running back Dylan Sampson.
The Volunteers rank first in the country in scoring offense (54 points per game) and third in total offense (565.8 yards per game). Imaleave and Sampson are two significant contributors to that success this season.
Imaleave is a redshirt freshman quarterback who can hurt defenses with his arm and legs. The dual-threat quarterback has thrown for 892 yards and seven touchdowns. He's thrown only two interceptions, which Pittman said is impressive.
“He’s scary because he’s not going to make mistakes, and he’s going to run the offense to perfection,” Pittman said. “For a young guy like that, he’s just really impressive.”
Sampson has scored 10 rushing touchdowns, the most in the SEC and second-best in the FBS. He's also run for the fourth-most yards in the conference (449).
"[Sampson] is bad to the bone," Pittman said. "He's really good. He can make you miss, run over you [and] can catch. I like him a lot. He's a really good player."
Arkansas's defense allows 20.2 points per game and 319.4 yards per game, which ranks in the middle of the pack in the SEC.
Arkansas and No. 4 Tennessee will battle in the national spotlight on Saturday. Coverage from Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville begins at 6:30 p.m. on ABC.
