Arkansas @ South Carolina preview

Last Meeting ( Oct 12, 2013 ) South Carolina 52, Arkansas 7

After a much-needed reboot last week, Austin Allen and the rest of the Arkansas offense looks to even its record in conference play as it takes on host South Carolina in an SEC tussle. Allen racked up a season-high 264 yards and three touchdown passes in last week's 42-24 win over New Mexico State, erasing the sting of a narrow loss to Texas A&M.

Head coach Bret Bielema admitted that his team was furious after dropping a 50-43 decision to the Aggies, and took their collective frustrations out on New Mexico's Aggies, piling up nearly 500 yards of total offense. "I think our guys knew going into that game that we could win," Bielema told reporters afterward. "I think that was the chippiness, the anger, even from a coach. You do all this work ... why not put ourselves in a position to be talked about on a bigger scale?" The Gamecocks are coming off their own seven-point defeat at the hands of Texas A&M, and were equally disappointed after failing to sufficiently protect quarterback Jake Bentley, who was sacked seven times. "At the end of the day you've got to block the pass rushers," head coach Will Muschamp said after the game.

TV: 4 p.m. ET, SEC Network. LINE: South Carolina +2

ABOUT ARKANSAS (2-2, 0-1 SEC): Allen accumulated more than 3,400 passing yards last season but scuffled mightily to start the season, throwing for just 273 yards over his first two games before breaking out with 229 in the loss to Texas A&M. The run game remains the best part of the offense, with Devwah Whaley, Chase Hayden and David Williams combining for 698 rushing yards and 10 scores; each player has between 40 and 50 carries on the season. Junior WR Jonathan Nance hauled in a pair of touchdown passes in the victory over New Mexico State, and has four receiving scores in his past three games.

ABOUT SOUTH CAROLINA (3-2, 1-2): Bentley is doing his best to keep the Gamecocks competitive - ranking second in the conference in passing yards (1,257) and fourth in touchdown passes (nine) - but has already been sacked 15 times. Pass protection isn't the only area in which the South Carolina offensive line has faltered; the team is averaging a dreadful 3.0 yards per carry on 139 attempts - the third-worst rate in the SEC - and its 84.6 rushing yards per game ranks 122nd out of 129 FBS teams. Wide receiver Bryan Edwards sits fourth in the conference in receiving yards but is still looking for his first touchdown of the season.

EXTRA POINTS

1. South Carolina has just four rushing touchdowns in four games after finishing with 20 a season ago.

2. Bentley has been sacked 39 times in 12 career games with the Gamecocks.

3. The Razorbacks have scored touchdowns on 83.3 percent of red-zone visits, tied for the best mark in the SEC.

PREDICTION: Arkansas 31, South Carolina 27