No. 2 Alabama takes on No. 20 Arkansas in the next chapter in a SEC West rivalry at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville, Ark., on Saturday.
Game time is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. ET, and it will be televised on CBS.
Alabama (4-0) beat Texas 20-19 in its first road game of the season on Sept. 20. The Crimson Tide have poured on two blowouts against Louisiana-Monroe and Vanderbilt since, and Bryce Young remains in the thick of the Heisman Trophy race. Alabama coach Nick Saban is 15-0 against the Razorbacks.
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Arkansas (3-1) is feeling the sting of a missed opportunity in a 23-21 loss to No. 17 Texas A&M in Week 3. The Razorbacks have an exciting offense with quarterback KJ Jefferson and running back Raheim Sanders, but a porous pass defense will need to tighten up. This still is a unique opportunity for Arkansas coach Sam Pittman to break that streak.
Here is everything you need to know about Saturday’s matchup between Alabama and Arkansas:
Alabama vs. Arkansas odds
- Spread: Alabama (-17)
- Over/under: 61.5
- Moneyline: Alabama -769, Arkansas +550 (Caesars Sportsbook)
The line opened at -19, but the Crimson Tide should hold around 17, give or take a half-point. Three of Alabama’s four games have hit the under. Three of Arkansas’ four games have hit the over.
Three trends to know
— Alabama is 9-1 S/U as a road favorite since 2020, but they are just 4-6 ATS in those games. That includes two-point victories against Florida and Auburn last season and the one-point victory against Texas on Sept. 10.
— The Razorbacks are 11-5 ATS as an underdog under Pittman, including five outright upsets. Arkansas is 3-3 S/U and 4-2 ATS as a home underdog with Pittman.
— Alabama’s last three victories at Arkansas have not been close. The Crimson Tide has won those games by an average of 34 points per game. The Razorbacks did keep it close last season in a 42-35 loss at Bryant-Denny Stadium.
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Three things to watch
— Can Razorbacks slow down Bryce Young? They certainly didn’t do that last year. Young finished 31 of 40 for 559 passing yards and five TDs in last year’s shootout. He’s maintained a 68.6% completion percentage with a new cast of receivers, and six different Alabama receivers have at least 10 receptions. That’s going to be a challenge for Arkansas’ defense, which allows 302.5 passing yards per game. Young had a 61% completion on the road last season, but he was 69.2% in the close shave with Texas on Sept. 10.
— How can Arkansas match that? KJ Jefferson aired it out against the Crimson Tide with 320 passing yards and three TDs, and it was a one-score game with 11:24 remaining in the fourth quarter. The problem is Treylon Burks did most of that game. He’s gone to the NFL, and it’s on Jadon Haselwood and Matt Landers to come up with a few big plays in the passing game. Arkansas offensive coordinator Kendal Briles likely will try to establish the run with Jefferson and Raheim Sanders, who leads the Razorbacks with 508 rushing yards on 6.1 yards per carry. Sanders, who also has eight catches for 117 yards, needs to be involved there, too.
— Playmakers at linebacker. Arkansas linebacker Drew Sanders, an Alabama transfer, leads the nation with 5.5 sacks. He complements leading tackler Bumper Pool in the Razorbacks’ defense. Alabama quarterbacks have only been sacked four times in four games. The Crimson Tide, meanwhile, has totaled 12 sacks with All-American linebacker Will Anderson leading the way. This is the first “SEC on CBS” spotlight game for the Crimson Tide. Expect Anderson to take advantage of that.
Stat that matters
Alabama has outscored its opponents 76-9 in the second half, and all nine of those points were against Texas on three field goals. If this game is close at halftime, then what adjustments will Arkansas make against that Alabama defense that is quietly playing at an elite level despite too many penalties? Chances are this unit remembers the wild finish last season, or at least Saban has reminded them a few times.
Arkansas vs. Alabama prediction
The Crimson Tide is still very good against the run. Alabama allows 1.8 yards per rush, and Texas only had 79 rushing yards in Week 2. If Arkansas cannot run the ball, then that’s going to stress Jefferson into some risky throws. On the other side, Young just keeps making the right decisions, and Traeshon Holden and Ja’Corey Brooks continue to emerge in the offense. Each receiver scores a first-half TD, and Jahmyr Gibbs breaks the game open with a long-TD run. Arkansas plays catch-up again, but it’s not enough in a statement victory by the Crimson Tide to open October.
Final score: Alabama 42, Arkansas 24
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