Two powerhouse programs are desperately searching for a win. Auburn (3-4) has lost 4 in a row to ranked opponents, and Arkansas (2-5) is in the same boat, as both of them are winless in the SEC. It won’t be an easy game by any means, and even ESPN Analytics is marginally siding with the Razorbacks to win with 50.6%. While both teams’ records create an even setting, the predicted weather might create a problem for Hugh Freeze’s Auburn.

According to reports, Fayetteville, Arkansas, will likely experience cloudy weather, with expected periods of rain. “Auburn will be at Arkansas today (11:45 CT kickoff)… the sky will be cloudy with periods of rain likely during the game; temperatures will hover in the low to mid 60s,” wrote Weatherbrains host James Spann on his X account. In fact, the Tigers’ HC used different training methods.

Since both teams are still looking for their first win in the SEC, Hugh Freeze will not let rain spoil his plans. Reportedly, the 56-year-old has “drenched” the footballs that Auburn has used in practice this week to help them prepare. If rainfall disrupts a significant portion of the game, relying heavily on the passing game will backfire. This gives Arkansas’ Taylen Green a slight edge, owing to his dual-threat prowess.

The QB has passed for 1,910 yards so far and has earned a 155.9 QB rating. Much of his performance, however, has come on the ground as the 23-year-old has also accumulated 589 yards in the rushing game for 5 TDs. Not to mention there were instances where Green has rushed for more than 30+ yards in a play. Due to that, the interim head coach, Bobby Petrino, has even expressed caution about the team relying solely on the star athlete’s rushing ability.

“At times, we defended the run better. But then we rushed past the quarterback a number of times, and a guy who can run like that. You can’t rush past the quarterback, defensive tackles, and ends at least four times; all past. The depth of the quarterback can end up killing us with that, so there’s a lot of good. There are a lot of things to correct,” said Petrino after the Texas A&M game. Nevertheless, that dual-threat prowess will come in handy if rain actually shows up.

That said, Arkansas also has a varied rushing attack, and players like Mike Washington Jr and Braylen Russell also contribute. Washington Jr has accumulated a whopping 671 rushing yards so far at 7 yards per carry. In contrast, Braylen Russell has contributed 248 rushing yards for three touchdowns. In total, the Razorbacks have accumulated 1,577 rushing yards so far, and the ratio of their passing and rushing attack is nearly 50%. With that being said, Auburn, too, has some good rushing players, and they can exploit the rain similarly.

Hugh Freeze to rely on his performing D-line to stop Arkansas

Even though both teams are on a losing streak, for the Tigers, the losses were somewhat narrow. For instance, against Missouri last weekend, the game went into overtime, and Texas A&M was a one-possession loss. Even against Oklahoma, Auburn was defeated 24-17, and within reach (10-13) when the third quarter ended. A major part of that is their rushing game.

Unlike Arkansas, Auburn relied heavily on a single player, Jeremiah Cobb, for their rushing yards. The star RB has so far accumulated 564 yards, while Jackson Arnold is second with 261 rushing yards. In total, the team has accumulated 1,135 rushing yards. The Tigers, too, diversify their offense and have a 50% split in rushing and passing offense. Moreover, since Arkansas is ranked 121st nationally in rushing defense, Auburn can exploit the Razorbacks’ weak D-line.

On the flip side, the Tigers’ D line is one of the best in the SEC, at least in stopping those rushing yards. The team is ranked 10th nationally and has given up just 87.14 rushing yards per game. That surely favors Auburn, but since Arkansas will have the home advantage, expect a tense game in the trenches. Surely, the weather interference will make the game even more interesting.

 

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