SEC Football

Can Razorbacks Break Unbeaten Tulsa's Streak

Saturday, November 1st, 2:00 p.m. (et)

GAME NOTES: The 19th-ranked Tulsa Golden Hurricane put their undefeated record on the line in Fayetteville this weekend, as they square off against the Arkansas Razorbacks in a non-conference matchup.

Playing its first game in the Top 25 in 17 years, the Hurricane showed it was deserving of the national recognition, overcoming a 19-14 halftime deficit for a convincing 49-19 victory over UCF on Sunday. Tulsa went into that game with a national ranking for the first time since 1991 and in 18th place in the BCS standings, and proved it should be mentioned among the top teams around.

"That was an exciting game and a really big win for us, I am proud of our players for the team effort," said head coach Todd Graham of the win over UCF. "I think the nation got to see what Tulsa Football is all about tonight."

The Hurricane are now off to an 8-0 start for only the sixth time in school history and the first time since 1942. Tulsa however, will be tested over the last several weeks of the season, as it must player three of its final four games on foreign soil.

As for Arkansas, it hasn't had the same kind of success as Tulsa, but it also plays in a much tougher conference. With that said, the Razorbacks sit just 3-5 overall and that includes a poor 1-4 mark in the SEC. Last weekend, Arkansas was edged by Ole Miss, 23-21, for its third straight loss at home and its second in a row overall. The team's last two setbacks have come by a combined three points.

On a positive note, the Razorbacks own a commanding 51-16-3 advantage in the all-time series with Tulsa and it has won the last 16 meetings dating back to 1976.

The most prolific offense in the nation will be on display this weekend, as Tulsa leads the country in scoring (55.6 ppg) as well as total ypg (601.1 ypg). The unit has been electric on the ground (255.1 ypg) and through the air (346.0 ypg) and has committed just 13 turnovers along the way. The Hurricane however, are coming off one of their least productive games of the year, although scoring 49 points could hardy been considered bad. Still, the team was limited to a season-low 436 total yards and even committed three turnovers in a 30-point win over UCF. Quarterback David Johnson threw for 264 yards and a touchdown and he added another two scores on the ground in the win.

Johnson has been simply outstanding this season for Tulsa and he has completed an efficient 68.3 percent of his tosses for an average of 332.6 passing ypg. He has thrown a national-best 32 touchdowns against nine interceptions and has also scored three times on the ground. Brennan Marion has been his go-to-guy on the campaign and he paces the team with 31 catches, 827 yards and seven touchdowns. In the backfield Tarrion Adams heads the club with 643 yards and he is averaging a solid 5.5 yards per carry. He toted five times for 35 yards and two scores in the win over UCF.

Defensively, Tulsa has done a good job considering how quickly the offense has been scoring, as the unit is limiting foes to 127.0 ypg on the ground and 255.8 ypg through the air. The defense has come up with 17 turnovers and that is solid, but its 28 sacks are even more impressive. The Hurricane is also coming off a stout effort on defense, as it held UCF to a mere 187 total yards last weekend. The unit also forced three turnovers, while racking up an incredible nine sacks.

"Coach Patterson and Coach Randolph had an excellent plan tonight and we got after the quarterback in a big way and I think that was the key for us," said coach Graham."We gave up only one big play on defense, but their was no panic we just settled down."

Mike Bryan had a pair of sacks and 14 tackles in the win, while James Lockett registered three sacks and two forced fumbles. On the season, Bryant leads the squad with 65 stops and Lockett is the team-leader with 10 TFLs and 6.5 sacks.

The Razorbacks have really slowed themselves down with mistakes this season, as they have committed 19 turnovers, including 12 by way of interception. Overall, the unit is producing 361.6 total ypg and that simply isn't enough to compensate for the miscues.

Last weekend, Arkansas did a good job in committing just one turnover and it also racked up 386 total yards, but it wasn't quite enough in a 23-21 loss to Ole Miss. Michael Smith guided the Razorbacks in defeat with 129 yards and a touchdown on 19 carries. It was another big time effort by Smith, who has now rushed for 920 yards and six touchdowns in seven outings. He also ranks second on the team with 26 catches and will surely be a factor in this game, as the Razorbacks will want to keep Tulsa's high powered attack off the field as much a possible.

Quarterback Casey Dick put forth a modest effort last weekend, as he hit on 20-of-38 tosses for 282 yards and two touchdowns against one interception. On the year, Dick has thrown eight touchdowns against 10 picks, clearly a negative ratio, but he is averaging a solid 223.4 passing ypg. D.J. Williams has been his main target with 38 catches and that includes a 10-reception, 129-yard effort against Ole Miss last weekend.

Arkansas has shown improvement on defense over the last three games, allowing just 22.0 ppg over that stretch, well below its season-average of 32.0 ppg. Overall, the defense is holding foes to 168.2 ypg on the ground and 191.0 ypg through the air, with an even split between its 28 touchdowns surrendered. The unit, however, hasn't been able to make many big plays, generating only 11 turnovers on the season.

In last weekend's bout, Arkansas did a respectable job in limiting Ole Miss to 369 total yards of offense. The unit notched a pair of sacks, but only managed one turnover and that wasn't enough. Jerry Franklin had eight stops and a sack in the loss and he paces the team with 65 tackles for the season.

Although the Razorbacks' record isn't all that great, this is a big test for Tulsa, as it faces a team from a major conference and on the road. It won't come easy, but the Hurricane should have enough firepower to overcome Arkansas's successful ground attack for the win.

Predicted Outcome: Tulsa 31, Arkansas 27

Web Producer- Brett Haas