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The Arkansas Razorbacks are set to host the UAB Blazers Saturday. Both teams come into the contest looking to bounce back from their own respective Week 2 losses.
Heartbreak for Arkansas
Arkansas is coming off a double-overtime loss against No. 13 Oklahoma State, where the Razorbacks blew a 14 point lead. Arkansas tallied 648 yards in the contest, nearly doubling Oklahoma State’s offensive output.
THE ENDING TO ARKANSAS-OKLAHOMA STATE WAS WILD 🤯 pic.twitter.com/DsfDpEEtq0
— ESPN (@espn) September 7, 2024
Redshirt senior running back Ja’Quinden Jackson picked up 170 total yards and three touchdowns on the day. Meanwhile, redshirt junior quarterback Taylen Green also shined in the contest, throwing for 416 yards and a touchdown.
UAB Looks to Rebound
After an impressive opening win against Alcorn State, UAB looked anything but dominant against UL Monroe. The Blazers trailed for much of the contest, only managing to score six points on the day.
Most of these struggles came from the offense’s relatively sloppy play. A pick-six from quarterback Jacob Zeno and a fumble from running back Isaiah Jacobs proved to be costly, as UAB was never able to recover from there.
UAB’s defense also struggled on the ground in the contest, giving up 209 rushing yards. In comparison, the defense gave up just 177 total yards in their Week 1 victory.
Keys to Victory
Arkansas will look for its offense to continue its production. The Razorbacks currently rank second among all Division 1 teams in yards per game (668 YPG). The team will look for its rushing attack to lead the way, as UAB’s rushing defense gave up 197 yards per game last season.
For UAB, the team will need to take better care of the ball than in previous weeks. The offense has already surrendered six total turnovers in their first two games, with a -5 turnover differential through that span. Arkansas head coach Sam Pittman spoke about the turnover differential being key in the contest.
UAB will also need to see more from quarterback Jacob Zeno. The Arkansas pass defense has been lackluster to open up the season, giving up the second-most passing yards per game among SEC teams. Zeno is coming off a productive 2023 season where he threw for over 3,000 yards and 20 touchdowns.
The two squads are set to meet on Saturday at 4:15 p.m. on SEC Network.
