Auburn football vs. Arkansas: Scouting report, score prediction as Tigers host the Razorbacks

AUBURN — Two teams will enter Jordan-Hare Stadium on Saturday after a week off while looking to end three-game losing streaks in the SEC. Only one will do so.

Auburn football hosts Arkansas (11 a.m., SECN) in a battle of two teams hoping to garner momentum heading into the final month of the season.

The Tigers (3-4, 1-3 SEC) looked improved on offense in a 48-34 loss to Ole Miss on Oct. 15, but have struggled to throw with consistency or stop the run. The Razorbacks (4-3, 1-3) beat BYU two weeks ago thanks to a career day by quarterback KJ Jefferson in his return from injury, but have their own issues on defense.

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Here's our scouting report for Saturday's showdown.

Can Auburn limit Rocket Sanders and KJ Jefferson on the ground?

Auburn's recent issues against the run have been well documented. The Tigers surrendered 292 yards on 43 carries against Georgia and 448 yards on 69 carries against Ole Miss. For a unit struggling this badly, the Razorbacks couldn't come at a worse time.

Before taking over as Arkansas head coach, Sam Pittman was a longtime offensive line coach. That influence is apparent today, as the Razorbacks win with power and brute force up front.

Per Football Outsiders, Arkansas is 23rd in the country in opportunity rate: the percentage of carries that gain at least four yards. The Razorbacks have done so on 52.4% of their rushes.

Every member of Arkansas' starting offensive line — Luke Jones, Brady Latham, Ricky Stromberg, Beaux Limmer and Dalton Wagner — has a Pro Football Focus grade of at least 75.6. All five rank in the top 30 nationally at their position.

The Razorbacks have the weapons to take advantage of their behemoth offensive line. Raheim "Rocket" Sanders is the SEC's leading rusher, with 870 yards and seven touchdowns on 140 rushes. Jefferson uses his 6-foot-3, 242-pound frame to great effect in the run game, having gained 344 yards on 91 carries.

Can Auburn take advantage of Arkansas' pass defense?

On the flip side, Arkansas' defense hasn't been able to stop anybody through the air. Only three teams in the country have allowed more passing yards per game than the Razorbacks' 315.7. No matter the approach, their defensive backs have struggled to stay with receivers.

Early in the season, Arkansas tried to compensate by blitzing heavily. It had 17 sacks in its first three games, but gave up over 300 passing yards in each. The Razorbacks switched things up against Mississippi State, dropping eight in coverage against the Bulldogs' Air Raid, but Will Rogers went 32-for-49 for 406 yards.

While Robby Ashford has completed just 48% of his passes, his scrambling ability (310 yards on 74 rushes) could be a weapon if the Razorbacks turn up the heat with their pass rush.

If the Tigers' offensive line gives Ashford time to sit in the pocket, he'll have targets open downfield, but it's no guarantee he'll hit them. Depending on Arkansas' approach, a good gameplan from Bryan Harsin and Eric Kiesau might involve plenty of designed runs by Ashford combined with quick screens to Tank Bigsby and Jarquez Hunter against the blitz.

Momentum swings

Auburn hasn't shown any trend of being a "first-half team" or "second-half team" this season, but has frequently shown wide variance from one quarter or one half to the next.

The Tigers scored 14 points in the first quarter against Missouri but didn't score again in regulation. Against Ole Miss, they were shut out in the first quarter before exploding for 34 points in under 40 minutes.

Auburn could help its cause by getting out to an early lead and forcing the Razorbacks to rely more on Jefferson's arm. If Arkansas can assert its will early and create a ground-heavy game script, the Tigers will have an extremely difficult time coming back.

Score Prediction

Arkansas 38, Auburn 27: It's difficult to imagine the Tigers slowing the Razorbacks' run game, but Arkansas's pass defense is equally porous. That'd be great for the Tigers — if they'd proven at any point this season they could move the ball through the air.

Jacob Shames can be reached by email at jshames@gannett.com, by phone at 334-201-9117 and on Twitter @Jacob_Shames.

This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Auburn football vs. Arkansas: Scouting report, score prediction