No. 8 LSU, boasting a record of 5-1 and standing at 2-0 in the Southeastern Conference, is slated to face Arkansas, who holds a 4-2 record and is 2-1 in the conference, this Saturday at 7 p.m. ET, broadcast on ESPN.
BetMGM’s odds favor LSU by 2 points heading into this eagerly anticipated matchup. Historically, LSU has a dominating lead in the series, holding a record of 44 wins, 23 losses, and 2 ties against Arkansas.
The stakes are high for this game. A win would bolster LSU’s position as a credible candidate for the national championship. This matchup serves as the second game in a challenging stretch of four consecutive contests against either ranked teams or those receiving votes in the rankings, which includes Arkansas. The Razorbacks have not managed a Top 25 ranking in over two years, making a victory over LSU pivotal in altering their status.
A crucial battle to watch will be between the quarterbacks of Arkansas and the LSU pass defense. The usual starting quarterback for Arkansas, Taylen Green, is uncertain for the matchup, and should he be unavailable, coach Sam Pittman may turn to redshirt freshman Malachi Singleton, who is seen as the promising future of the team. Green has been impressive so far, averaging 250 passing yards per game, ranking him as one of the top quarterbacks in the SEC. Meanwhile, LSU’s pass defense struggles, sitting 15th out of 16 teams in the SEC. Singleton, however, made headlines recently by scoring the game-winning touchdown against Tennessee, showcasing his potential.
Key players to keep an eye on include LSU’s quarterback Garrett Nussmeier, who has had a standout season. Nussmeier averages an impressive 331 passing yards per game, placing him sixth in the FBS, and has thrown 18 touchdown passes, tying for third place nationally. Arkansas’ pass defense ranks 10th in the conference, which could lead to opportunities for Nussmeier.
On Arkansas’s side, beyond Green, Landon Jackson, the All-SEC defensive end, has become crucial for the Razorbacks. After a sluggish start, Jackson has found his rhythm and tallied 2.5 sacks in the last two games.
In terms of historical context, the rivalry between Arkansas and LSU intensified from 2006 to 2015, where they exchanged five victories each. However, LSU has dominated since then, winning all but one encounter in that span; notable is that the last three meetings were decided by a mere three points. Nussmeier, who has been predominantly a backup for the last two seasons to Jayden Daniels, previously faced Arkansas when he led the Tigers in a narrow 16-13 defeat in 2021, completing 18 passes out of 31 attempts during that game.
Arkansas has managed to secure victories against LSU three times since 2007 while the Tigers were ranked in the Top 10, despite being ranked lower each time, adding another layer of intrigue to the coming matchup.