Alabama
Arkansas quarterback KJ Jefferson (1) throws a pass against Cincinnati during the second half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Sept. 3, 2022, in Fayetteville, Ark. (AP Photo/Michael Woods)

Arkansas v. South Carolina preview

The South Carolina Gamecocks (1-0) will travel to Fayetteville Saturday to take on the No. 16 Arkansas Razorbacks (1-0) for a noon kickoff.  The Gamecocks are coming off a home win against Georgia State while Arkansas handled business with No. 23 Cincinnati in their home opener.

South Carolina X-Factors

South Carolina made a boom in the offseason in the transfer portal landing one of the top quarterbacks in Spencer Rattler. Rattler, formerly at Oklahoma, was at the top of his recruiting class before having an underwhelming career at Oklahoma and deciding to move on.

Rattler looked good in his first game with the Gamecocks, putting up 227 yard along with one touchdown and two interceptions. He will have to limit the mistakes this upcoming weekend if they want a chance to knock off the 16th ranked Hogs.

Shane Beamer, the head coach of South Carolina, is ready for SEC play. Going into his second season at the helm of Gamecock’s football this would be a statement win for the program. Here is what Beamer had to say about Saturday’s matchup against a former colleague of his in Sam Pittman.

Arkansas keys

A top-20 squad, Sam Pittman has set the Razorbacks up for a successful season. Nonetheless, the Razorbacks are led by a star duo that help make up the offseason.

A lot of people’s under the radar Heisman pick this year was Arkansas’ own KJ Jefferson. Jefferson proved he is ready for the big stage by completing 18-26 passes for 223 yards and three touchdowns against a top-25 team in Cincinnati last week. Additionally, he added 62 yards on the ground with another score. A true all-around playmaker.

To add to the threat of Jefferson both in the air and on the ground, the Razorbacks have Raheim Sanders. A true sophomore, Sanders showed last week that his age will not be a factor for the season. Sanders handled the rock 20 times for a total of 117 yards to help balance out KJ Jefferson.

If these two are playing at that same elite level, they will be a tough matchup for anyone in the SEC.

Here is what Sam Pittman has to say about last weeks performance and looking forward to this week.

After a hard fought game against Cincinnati last week, there is no time to rest with SEC play starting this week.

Tune in at noon Saturday for this SEC clash.

About Kyle Curtis

A third-year journalism student with a focus in sports and media.

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