Toledo @ Arkansas preview
War Memorial Stadium (AR)
“Balance” is a new word being bantered about in Fayetteville this week as 18th-ranked Arkansas prepares to face Toledo on Saturday in their annual game in Little Rock. And with good reason as coach Bret Bielema’s typically ground-oriented squad featured a 300-yard passer (Brandon Allen) for the first time in 25 games in Saturday’s season-opening 48-13 rout of UTEP.
Allen, in fact, was the only SEC quarterback to top 300 yards (a career-high 308) last week as the Razorbacks also featured a 100-yard rusher (Alex Collins with 127) and receiver (Keon Hatcher with 106) and scored touchdowns on each of their first six full possessions of the game. “Balance isn’t really running the ball the same amount as you pass it,” Arkansas offensive coordinator Dan Enos told the Arkansas News Bureau. “It’s being able to win game or having the ability to win a game doing either because it’s going to come up throughout the season.” The game, meanwhile, will serve as Toledo’s opener after last Saturday’s home contest was called off due to severe weather with the Rockets leading 16-7 at halftime. The game was declared a “no contest” with no make-up date scheduled and no statistics counted.
TV: 4 p.m. ET, SEC Network Alternate. LINE: Arkansas -21.5
ABOUT TOLEDO (0-0): The Rockets haven’t played in the Mid-American Conference championship game since 2004 but were picked by the media to not only win the West Division but win the MAC title itself in the league’s preseason poll. Toledo has certainly been trending in that direction, posting winning seasons in each of the last five years and returning 15 starters and 47 letterwinners from last season’s 9-4 squad. Among the returnees are six All-MAC selections, including wide receivers Alonzo Russell and Corey Jones and defensive tackle Orion Jones.
ABOUT ARKANSAS (1-0): The Razorbacks opened the season ranked 20th but moved up two spots after dominating visiting UTEP. While the offensive numbers are drawing all the attention, the Arkansas defense wasn’t too shabby, either, limiting the Miners to 58 rushing yards on 34 carries and forcing three turnovers behind two tackles for losses and an interception by cornerback Henre’ Toliver. The Razorbacks will also receive some reinforcements with the reinstatement of three players, including highly regarded redshirt freshman wide receiver JoJo Robinson, after they served one-game disciplinary suspensions.
EXTRA POINTS
1. Bielema’s teams at Akransas and Wisconsin are a combined 35-2 in non-conference play in his nine years as a head coach.
2. Toledo will be without its best player, RB Kareem Hunt, who led the MAC in rushing last season with an average of 163.1 yards per game but is serving a two-game suspension for an unspecified violation of team rules.
3. Allen has started 22 consecutive games for the Razorbacks – the longest streak in the SEC – while former Alabama QB Phillip Ely, a senior, will make his third official career start after an ACL tear ended his 2014 debut season for Toledo after two games.
PREDICTION: Arkansas 40, Toledo 13