NO. 8 OLE MISS AT ARKANSAS

Ok, now what?

No. 8 Ole Miss, bowl berth eyed

Arkansas Democrat-Gazette No. 8 Ole Miss at Arkansas hogtoon illustration.

FAYETTEVILLE -- The Arkansas Razorbacks have hit the reset button.

The burden of a 17-game losing streak in SEC games is gone, thanks to last week's 17-0 victory over LSU, and it has been replaced by a new set of goals and challenges.

Ole Miss at Arkansas

WHEN 2:30 p.m.

WHERE Reynolds Razorback Stadium (72,000)

RECORDS Ole Miss 8-2 (4-2 SEC); Arkansas 5-5 (1-5 SEC)

RANKINGS Ole Miss is 8/8/8 by CFP/AP/Coaches

BETTING LINE Ole Miss is favored by 3 1/2

COACHES Hugh Freeze (23-13 in 3rd year at Ole Miss, 53-20 in 6th year overall); Bret Bielema (8-14 in 2nd year at Arkansas, 76-38 in 9th year overall)

SERIES Arkansas leads 32-27-1* overall, 9-2 in Fayetteville

TELEVISION CBS

RADIO Razorbacks Sports Network, including KABZ-FM103.7, in Little Rock; and KQSM-FM, 92.1, KEZA-FM, 107.9, KUOA-AM, 1290 and KUOA-FM, 105.3, in Fayetteville. XM-Radio 91, Sirius 91

  • Arkansas claims a forfeit from 1914 that Ole Miss does not

The Razorbacks (5-5, 1-5 SEC) celebrate senior day this afternoon and take aim at bowl eligibility against No. 8 Ole Miss, which has a resume that includes a victory over No. 1 Alabama.

Rain is in the forecast, including an 80 percent chance when the teams kick off in an intriguing matchup deemed worthy of filling CBS' prime 2:30 p.m. TV slot.

Ole Miss (8-2, 4-2 SEC) brings the nation's No. 1 scoring defense to Reynolds Razorback Stadium, along with the incentive that goes along with still holding hope of qualifying for the first four-team College Football Playoff.

The Razorbacks' goals are much more humble.

Arkansas hopes to make it two in a row in its drive to make its first bowl appearance since the 2012 Cotton Bowl.

Coach Bret Bielema and his team has focused more on making it a successful senior day rather than a clincher for bowl eligibility.

"I think a bowl would probably give, to the outside world, recognition of what we've accomplished," Bielema said. "But here on the inside, what we try to do is gain daily respect. We're looking to get Ole Miss' respect. It's a team that beat us a year ago."

Ole Miss, favored by 3 1/2 points, will be the sixth SEC opponent Arkansas has faced that was ranked in the top 10 when the game was played.

"Another opportunity in the SEC West to make a statement of where we've grown and how we've developed," Bielema said.

"They believe now not only that they can play close, but that they can win," Ole Miss Coach Hugh Freeze said of the Razorbacks. "We have a tall task ahead of us."

The Rebels' losses have come in heartbreaking fashion -- a shared theme with several Razorbacks setbacks -- by a combined seven points at LSU (10-7) and against Auburn (35-31). Ole Miss seemed poise to score potential go-ahead touchdowns on back-to-back fourth-quarter drives against Auburn, but quarterback Bo Wallace lost a fumble at the Auburn 6, then receiver Laquon Treadwell was hauled down from behind at the Auburn 1, causing a fumble the Tigers recovered for a touchback and ending Treadwell's season with a leg injury.

Ole Miss has had three weeks to recover from that painful loss, with a romp over FCS school Presbyterian and an open date last week.

Freeze said a fast start would carry huge value for his team because of Arkansas' ability to control the clock with its running game.

"In the games that you watch them on tape, when they are able to manage the early going and stay in it, that game gets short in a hurry," Freeze said. "It'll be very, very beneficial for us to jump out to a fast start for sure."

The Rebels' defense, coordinated by former Arkansas assistant Dave Womack, plays with speed, power and confidence that comes with experience. Ole Miss leads the country in scoring defense (11.9) and ranks seventh in pass efficiency defense, 10th in total defense (309.8) and 11th in third-down defense (.306). The Rebels are seventh with 24 takeaways, and their turnover margin of plus-1.3 per game is fifth.

"I think on third downs they can put a package on the field that can create pressure with four people, which enables you to have some complexities in your package," Arkansas offensive coordinator Jim Chaney said.

Both teams see areas they might be able to exploit.

Ole Miss' run defense is ranked No. 25 nationally, but the Rebels gave up 264 yards to LSU and 248 yards to Auburn in their past two SEC games, and the Razorbacks would like to find a way for their big linemen to make creases for tailbacks Jonathan Williams (932 rushing yards) and Alex Collins (886 yards). Arkansas has not run for 200 yards or more against an SEC team since racking up 285 yards against Texas A&M on Sept. 27.

"This game is going to be on us, nobody else, just like the LSU game was on us," Ole Miss defensive end Fadol Brown said. "We've got to be physical up front and dominate the line of scrimmage. If we don't do that then we don't have a chance."

Freeze referenced Ole Miss' struggles against LSU and Auburn on the ground.

"Just looking at what has occurred, this may not be our best matchup," Freeze said."You have to play it. You have to find a plan and get your kids in the right spot."

Ole Miss quarterback Bo Wallace has completed 64 percent of his passes and is up against an Arkansas defense that ranks 88th in pass efficiency defense. Wallace has thrown 10 touchdowns and one interception in SEC games.

"Bo Wallace is a good quarterback. He's made a few mistakes, but at the same time he's made a lot of plays for them," Arkansas safety Alan Turner said of Wallace. "We just know, if it's good Bo or bad Bo, we just want to play our defense so we can try to make plays."

Wallace pointed out possessions could be at a premium against the Hogs.

"I just think it's important for us to get points on every possession," he said. "You watch Arkansas' game, and it's the shortest number of plays. LSU ran 50-something [54] plays on them."

Arkansas defensive coordinator Robb Smith said he would like his unit to control the Ole Miss run game and put some pressure on Wallace.

"We really have to be able to defend formations and disrupt the quarterback as much as we can," Smith said. "Their quarterback is what makes them go, and we have got to do a good job of trying to contain him."

Turner, fellow defensive captain Trey Flowers, and other seniors, like Brey Cook, AJ Derby, Martrell Spaight, Tevin Mitchel and Braylon Mitchell, will be playing their final home game.

"I think it'll be very emotional," Spaight said. "I might end up shedding a tear but, hey, it happens."

Flowers talked about what achieving bowl eligibility would mean to the Razorbacks.

"We haven't been to a bowl since my freshman year," Flowers said. "To bring a bowl back to this program and share another game with my brothers would be very encouraging."

Sports on 11/22/2014