By: Sean Cartell
SEC Digital Network
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – It’s a classic match-up in this week’s Southeastern Conference Game of the Week as Alabama, the league’s top defensive squad, squares off with Arkansas, the conference’s top offense. We’re only in week four of the 2011 football season, but this game could go a long way in helping decide which Western Division team will be making the trek to Atlanta come December.
Though the Crimson Tide have won four consecutive meetings in the all-time series, it will be a meeting of top-15 teams for the second straight year and for just the second time since Arkansas joined the SEC in 1992. The series has taken on new meaning since 2009 when Bobby Petrino, one of the game’s greatest offensive minds, took over the Razorback program.
Arkansas leads the SEC and ranks eighth in the nation in scoring offense, averaging 47 points per game. The Razorbacks lead the SEC and rank 11th nationally in total offense with 517.33 yards per game, and are 15th nationally in passing efficiency with a 166.78 rating.
Alabama head coach Nick Saban, in his own right considered one of the country’s top defensive minds, said that the elite match-up, slated for 3:30 p.m. ET Saturday on CBS, will resemble something of an NFL game in terms of the schemes each team employs.
“It’s certainly a challenge,” Saban said. “They are probably as good of a passing team as there is in the country. They certainly have the right players to do it and they are very well coached. Each and every year, this is a very challenging game for the defense. This is a lot like pro football. This is what you get ready for every week because that’s how most teams are built. This is certainly a pro-style offense and they have some very good players. Every mistake you make in pass defense, you have a little bit of an issue with it in terms of getting them covered.”
For Alabama, the nation’s No. 3 team, the Crimson Tide rank second nationally in scoring defense, allowing an average of just six points per game through its first three contests. They are third in the NCAA in total defense, giving up only 170 yards per game and are second in the nation in pass efficiency defense.
“They’re a very good defensive football team,” Petrino said. “It’s challenging. They’re very good at what they do. First and foremost, they’re very, very well coached, technically. They don’t make a lot of mistakes. They know what they’re doing in their press coverage and their off coverage and their linebackers understand where they’re supposed to be. You have to go earn everything. You have to execute and take care of yourself because they’re not going to give you any cheap ones.”
THE HISTORY
Alabama and Arkansas are meeting for the 22nd time in the history of the two programs and it is the 10th trip to Tuscaloosa for the Razorbacks. The Crimson Tide lead the all-time series 13-8 and have won each of the past four meetings. Arkansas last picked up a win against Alabama back in 2006 when the unranked Razorbacks edged the No. 22 Crimson Tide 24-23.
LAST FIVE MEETINGS
2006 – Arkansas 24, No. 22 Alabama 23 (Fayetteville, Ark.)
2007 – Alabama 41, No. 16 Arkansas 38 (Tuscaloosa, Ala.)
2008 – No. 9 Alabama 49, Arkansas 14 (Fayetteville, Ark.)
2009 – No. 3 Alabama 35, Arkansas 7 (Tuscaloosa, Ala.)
2010 – No. 1 Alabama 24, No. 10 Arkansas 20 (Fayetteville, Ark.)
A LOOK AT THE LAST MEETING
No. 1 ranked Alabama claimed its 2010 SEC opener with a 24-20 win against No. 10 Arkansas at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium. The Crimson Tide trailed the Razorbacks 20-17 with just under five minutes remaining when Alabama safety Robert Lester intercepted Arkansas signal-caller Ryan Mallet to set up the game-winning drive. Mark Ingram, the 2009 Heisman Trophy winner, took a handoff from quarterback Greg McElroy from the one-yard line and found the end zone for the game-winning touchdown. An interception by Alabama’s Dre Kirkpatrick with less than two minutes remaining in the game sealed the win for the Crimson Tide.
PLAYMAKERS – OFFENSE
Alabama – Trent Richardson, Jr., RB
Richardson is coming off a career game against North Texas, setting a personal single-game best with 167 yards, including a career-long 71-yard touchdown. He moved into the all-time top 20 on the Alabama career rushing yard list with 1,766 yards to rank 19th in Alabama history. He currently leads the Crimson Tide with 315 yards and eight touchdowns. His 105 rushing yards per game ranks 27th nationally and fourth in the SEC. He also leads both the league and the nation in scoring with an average of 16.0 points per game.
Arkansas – Tyler Wilson, Jr., QB
Wilson is 3-0 as a starter and his 274 passing yards per game rank second in the SEC and 23rd in the nation. His 286.3 yards of total offense per game ranks second in the conference and 23rd nationally. He has thrown for at least 250 yards in each of his team’s three games this season, including a season-high 303 yards in the team’s last outing against Troy. Last season, Wilson became just the ninth quarterback in Arkansas to throw for at least 300 yards in a single game with his career-best 332-yard performance at Auburn.
PLAYMAKERS – DEFENSE
Alabama – Dont’a Hightower, Jr., LB
Hightower is his team’s most experienced starter, charting a squad-best 32 career games and earning distinction as a team captain. He currently averages 5.3 tackles per game, which is tops on his team. He has made 149 career tackles with 10.0 tackles for loss and 17 quarterback hurries. A year ago, he finished second on his team with 69 tackles and had three pass breakups and nine quarterback hurries.
Arkansas – Jerry Franklin, Sr., LB
Franklin leads the Razorbacks so far this season with 23 tackles and ranks 13th in the SEC, averaging nearly eight tackles per contest. Franklin, who has led Arkansas in tackles in each of its last two games, last year became just the second Razorback since 1960 to lead his team in tackles for three consecutive seasons.
QUICK NOTES
- Arkansas has returned an NCAA-leading three kicks for touchdowns in 2011 (2 punts, 1 kickoff). Only one other school has more than one kick return for a touchdown this season.
- Alabama is 22-1 in its last 23 games at Bryant-Denny Stadium, dating back to the start of the 2008 season.
- The Razorbacks have scored a touchdown on their first possession in all three games in 2011.
- The Crimson Tide are 15-5 against the Associated Press Top 25 over the past three seasons and 9-3 against AP top 10 teams.
- Arkansas has six touchdown drives of less than two minutes in 2011. Last season, the Razorbacks had 26 touchdown drives of less than two minutes.
- Alabama opponents have had a tough time scoring in the first quarter as the Crimson Tide has not allowed a touchdown in the opening quarter since Tauren Poole found pay dirt for Tennessee on Oct. 23, 2010.