ARLINGTON, Texas — Arkansas is seeking its first 2-0 start in Southeastern Conference play since 2006 when it takes on Texas A&M Saturday in the Southwest Classic at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
The Razorbacks (3-1, 1-0 SEC), coming off a 24-14 victory over Auburn, are on the road for the fourth time in five weeks as they look to beat the Aggies (3-1, 1-0 SEC) for the first time in three years.
"It obviously hasn't been a great series for us," Arkansas head coach Sam Pittman said. "To be honest... with Little Rock and with Dallas, we're playing one game out of the first five at home, and Auburn is playing five in a row at home. I believe it's really hard to get the fanbase excited if they don't have an opportunity to see the Hogs."
Arkansas is 1-9 against Texas A&M in the last 10 meetings.
"You look back at my four previous years down there… we could've won at least two of those games," Pittman said. "We've got to find a way to finish the game. I don't think it's a mistique about playing Texas A&M, playing in Dallas, or anything like that. I just think we have to figure out how to finish and hold onto the ball."
3 keys to victory for Arkansas
Protect the quarterback:
During Monday's press conference, Pittman harped on the importance of better blocking in pass protection, which would allow quarterback Taylen Green to have more time in the pocket instead of forcing him to make plays on the run.
The Razorbacks allow 2.25 sacks per game, including three in their victory over Auburn last Saturday. It's not ideal, but Pittman said the communication has to improve so the offensive can operate at total capacity.
"We've got to be better around [Taylen Green]," Pittman said. "Our protection game is not very good right now... we had way too many missed assignments [against Auburn]... Taylen's got to make good decisions, but at the same time, we've got to get a lot better around him, especially in protections, for us to hit on all cylinders."
Saturday's matchup will be an excellent test for the Hogs, as they will face a Texas A&M defense led by head coach Mike Elko. Pittman called Elko a defensive "genius" for his ability to disguise blitzes.
Elko, the 2022 ACC Coach of the Year, joined the Aggies in November 2023 after leading Duke to a 16-9 record across two seasons. He helped the Blue Devils finish in the top 20 in 2023 and led a defense that ranked 16th nationally, giving up just 19 points per game.
"[Elko] is very good in third-down pressures," Pittman said. "He'll always have something new, and then he'll have his old reliable. Again, it's who's coming and who you're supposed to block."
This season, Texas A&M ranks 41st nationally and 11th in the SEC in scoring defense, allowing 18.25 points per game and 318.75 yards per game.
Continue to establish the run:
While Elko is known for leading hard-nosed defenses, Texas A&M has been lackluster against the run through the season's first four games.
That weakness just so happens to be the Razorbacks' strength.
The Aggies enter Saturday's contest as the SEC's fourth-worst defense against the run, while Arkansas ranks third in the SEC and eighth in the country in total offense. The Hogs are averaging 524 total yards per game, including 240 rushing yards per game.
Against Auburn, the Razorbacks put together a 12-play, 75-yard scoring drive midway through the fourth quarter and, at one point, ran the ball 10 consecutive times with Green and running backs Ja’Quinden Jackson and Braylen Russell.
That drive ate 6:12 off the clock and allowed Arkansas to put the game away.
"I feel like we've got a good football team, and I've said that from the beginning," Pittman said. "We're still a work in progress... I think we will be a much better team as the season progresses, but I think we can compete with anyone on our schedule."
The Hogs have done a fantastic job establishing the run, with Jackson as the workhorse. The Utah transfer has three 100-yard rushing games and three multiple-rushing touchdown performances to begin the year. Through four games, Jackson leads the SEC in rushing yards (472) and rushing yards per game (118).
Additionally, Jackson is the fastest Razorback to reach the eight-rushing touchdown mark in a season since 1995.
"I learned that we're a resilient group," Pittman said. "We certainly have to take care of the ball better, but I really like this team... this is a really fun team to be in front of."
If Arkansas continues to lean on the rushing attack, they'll have a great chance at beating Texas A&M and walking out of AT&T Stadium for the final time with the Southwest Classic Trophy.
Run it back on defense:
Arkansas's defense shined in the victory against Auburn, forcing five turnovers and recording two sacks.
The Razorbacks generated pressure and disrupted redshirt freshman quarterback Hank Brown, who the Tigers pulled at halftime for senior Payton Thorne.
Regardless of the quarterback change, the Hogs' defense kept its foot on the gas, and it needs to keep that mentality against Texas A&M.
Like Auburn, the Aggies will likely run out a less experienced quarterback in freshman Marcel Reed.
Pittman said he's familiar with Reed because the Razorbacks tried to recruit him out of high school at Montgomery Bell Academy in Nashville, Tenn.
"We tried to recruit him," Pittman said. "He's got a strong arm and the ability to run... you don't see a lot of confusion between his offensive line to him."
With Reed at quarterback, Texas A&M has averaged 31 points and 417.8 yards per game. Pittman said Reed's dual-threat ability allows him to turn broken plays into significant gains.
"What [Marcel Reed] has done well is that he's running the offense," Pittman said. "He's gotten out of bad plays. In other words, he can run and make plays if he's feeling pressure. He's done a good job of not giving it to the opponent."
Pittman has preached for the last several weeks about the team's need to improve its pass rush. They got to Auburn's Brown and Thorne, but they will face an even larger test against the Aggies.
Arkansas and Texas A&M will battle in the national spotlight on Saturday. Coverage from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, begins at 2:30 p.m. on ESPN.