Arkansas football vs. Ole Miss: Score prediction, scouting report for home finale

FAYETTEVILLE — One of the narratives ahead of Arkansas' game vs. LSU last week was whether the Tigers would get up for the matchup immediately after beating Alabama. Arkansas managed to scare LSU but still lost.

This week, the Razorbacks get an Ole Miss team coming off a crushing six-point loss to the Tide.

Ole Miss had the ball at the Alabama 14-yard line in the final minute and couldn't find the end zone. It was a heartbreaker for Ole Miss (8-2, 4-2 SEC), which now has to go on the road in the cold to face a Razorback team scrambling for bowl eligibility.

It's unclear whether Arkansas (5-5, 2-4) will have starting quarterback KJ Jefferson available. He missed the LSU game because of soreness and bruising in his throwing shoulder and clavicle, but coach Sam Pittman said he has practiced this week.

Here's a look at how Arkansas and Ole Miss will match up Saturday (6:30 p.m. CT, SECN).

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Ole Miss' balanced offense

Ole Miss has one of the SEC's most explosive offenses, and it can beat opponents on the ground or through the air. Quarterback Jaxson Dart leads the league in yards per pass attempt with 14.2. Arkansas coach Sam Pittman expressed concern about Dart's mobility, too, saying Monday that Dart is "a better runner than I want him to be."

Dart has a couple of big-time receiving threats in Jonathan Mingo and Malik Heath. Mingo's 723 receiving yards are second-best in the SEC, and Heath ranks No. 8 with 614.

Ole Miss has a star in the backfield, too, who accounts for almost a quarter of Ole Miss' 4,855 total yards of offense: running back Quinshon Judkins.

Quinshon Judkins leads league in rushing

Until last week, Arkansas' Raheim "Rocket" Sanders was leading the SEC in rushing yards. Then Judkins put up a strong effort in back-to-back games to take the top spot with 1,171 yards on the ground. The Ole Miss freshman has 205 carries in 10 games.

His 15 rushing touchdowns lead the league and are the most in a single season by any player in program history, and he's 142 yards from the program record for single-season rushing yards.

Judkins is a hard back to tackle, with 60% of his rushing yards coming after contact. For an Arkansas defense that has struggled with tackling, he presents a major problem.

Ole Miss defense holds its own

The Ole Miss defense is coming off a good showing against Alabama. It held the Tide to 30 points, 10 below its SEC second-best average.

While Arkansas leads the league in sacks with 3.5 per game, Ole Miss isn't far behind with 2.8. It has the fifth-best pass rush grade in the league per Pro Football Focus, three spots ahead of Arkansas.

Defensive ends Tavius Robinson and Cedric Johnson are the players to watch. They lead the team with four sacks each, and they could wreak havoc on an Arkansas offensive line that has declined over the last two games.

Score prediction

Ole Miss 28, Arkansas 24 — The Razorbacks' defense will hold Ole Miss around its average scoring-wise. The offense will find more opportunities in the running game than it has in its previous two losses, but the Razorbacks will fall short in their home finale.

Christina Long covers the Arkansas Razorbacks for the Southwest Times Record and USA TODAY Network. You can follow her on Twitter @christinalong00 or email her at clong@swtimes.com.

This article originally appeared on Fort Smith Times Record: Arkansas football vs. Ole Miss: Score prediction, scouting report