FAYETTEVILLE - Both 2-3 overall and SEC winless, Arkansas and Kentucky ruefully can cite reasons for their mutual plight.
Both also know each showed they can do better. One will tonight.
Coach Chad Morris' Razorbacks, 0-2 in the SEC West, visit Coach Mark Stoops' Kentucky Wildcats, 0-3 in the SEC East, at 6:30 tonight on the SEC Network at Kroger Field in Lexington, Ky.
Neither coach likely can bank on how their own team performs much less their opponent. Both with an open date last week reprieved from their far rollercoaster campaigns.
Unimpressive in a 20-13 Aug. 31 season-opening debut over lower-division Portland State at Reynolds Razorback Stadium, the Razorbacks skidded to their so far season low on Sept. 21 in the same stadium. They lost, 31-24 to San Jose State, a three-touchdowns underdog from the Mountain West Conference's bottom rung.
The following Saturday, Sept. 28, as a three-touchdowns underdog against SEC West rival Texas A&M, then 23rd and 21st in the AP and coaches national polls, Arkansas led during the second half and played the Aggies to the wire of a 31-27 game at the Dallas Cowboys' AT&T Stadium.
Naturally, to his team and media Stoops stresses Arkansas' performance vs. Texas A&M over the Hogs' giddy overconfidence from a 21-0 fourth quarter in a 55-34 victory over Colorado State precipitating their not finding the way vs. San Jose.
"They have a very good football team that was very evident the way they played the last time out," Stoops said. "They played exceptionally well against A&M."
With since injured for the season quarterback Terry Wilson, Kentucky started 2-0 nonconference over Toledo and Eastern Michigan.
Minus Wilson, the Cats are 0-3 the SEC. The last two, 28-13 and 24-7 at Mississippi State and at South Carolina, Kentucky struggled offensively.
But in the Cats' SEC 0-fer they've got a losing gem outshining Arkansas' vs. A&M. On Sept. 14 in Lexington against the now 6-0 nationally No. 7 Florida Gators, Kentucky led 21-10 starting the fourth quarter.
Florida finally prevailed, 29-21.
"They played them all the way to the wire," Morris said. "We know how talented they are."
The Cats' talent proliferates defensively.
Offensively, their by far most explosive player expands his role.
Sawyer Smith, the conventional quarterback replacing Wilson, finished the South Carolina game injured. Smith didn't practice during the open date.
So Lynn Bowden, "electric with the ball in his hands," Morris said as Kentucky's leading receiver/punt returner/kick returner averaging a team leading 7.6 as an occasional rusher (13 carries for 99 yards) and a 3 out of 4 passer when the Wildcats use a direct snap to the running back out of the Wildcat formation, took QB snaps.
Smith has since resumed practice, but don't be shocked if Bowden quarterbacks considerably.
Defenses can scheme denying the ball even to great receivers.
There's no denying Bowden the ball snapped directly.
Sports on 10/12/2019