If you go only by some numbers, the Arkansas Razorbacks have a big shot at getting a victory Saturday night in Tuscaloosa, Ala. Thanks to a 1993 forfeit by Alabama (the Crimson Tide actually outscored the Hogs 43-3 ), the Razorbacks have a winning record in Tuscaloosa. It was discovered after the regular season that an Alabama player had signed with a professional agent, forcing the Tide to forfeit several games. So the Hogs are 4-3 at Alabama. They are 12-11 on ESPN (the only channel on which they have a winning record after having played at least 10 games ), and that is who is broadcasting this game.

1 And they are a 2 / 2-point underdog, but home field is supposed to be worth a touchdown.

Bryant-Denny Stadium is not as hostile an environment as LSU or Florida (War Memorial and Reynolds Razorback Stadium probably would rank third or fourth ).

Crimson Tide fans are loud, but not intimidating; plus, they may be pacing themselves for the Auburn game.

The Razorbacks also have much more depth in the line on both sides of the ball.

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After two games for Alabama and one for the Hogs it is an understatement to say the Tide has a more balanced offense.

Alabama had to pass to move the ball last year. This year, it has more yardage on the ground than through the air.

Early in the week, Alabama’s $ 4 million-per-year coach said the Tide would be going after Darren McFadden.

If they didn’t he would be worth a fraction of that salary.

McFadden will be a marked man every Saturday for the remainder of the football season.

With practices closed at both places, no one knows for sure what wrinkles might be added by Arkansas or Alabama for this game, but some seem to think the Hogs are going to run some option.

Offensive coordinator David Lee always favored an optiontype offense until he joined the Dallas Cowboys.

One thing seems certain: It will be very difficult to key on McFadden if he is the quarterback in the option and he has the choices of handing off to Peyton Hillis or flipping it to Felix Jones or Michael Smith.

That’s a lot of weapons in one backfield, plus, as he showed against Troy, McFadden can find an open receiver and get the ball to him.

The Hogs will come home to play Kentucky, and that game has been moved for television as well, but that could be it for a while.

After the Wildcats, Arkansas has home games against North Texas and Tennessee-Chattanooga.

Both teams are winless so far, and North Texas has been outscored 124-41 in losses to Oklahoma and SMU.

This one from the oops department. It was written earlier this week in this space that Jeff Long, who will succeed Frank Broyles as athletic director, would attend the Alabama game in Tuscaloosa.

The confusion, mine, was he said he would start calling the Hogs this Saturday, but he meant in Pittsburgh where his family will be starting the eventual move to the Fayetteville area.

Our man Jimmy Dykes will be the guest speaker at Sun Belt basketball media days in Mobile, Ala., on Oct. 23.

Dykes started with ESPN in 1995 and worked as a basketball analyst for several years before that with other outlets.

He is a 1985 graduate of Arkansas, was a student manager for one year and then walked on the next three, earning letters each year.

Dykes still lives in Northwest Arkansas and commutes all over the country working football and basketball games for ESPN.

He is also a former assistant basketball coach, but has become one of ESPN’s most talented basketball analysts.