TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — It’s isn’t the top-10 matchup it could have been, but No. 2 Alabama’s trip to No. 20 Arkansas should still be its toughest test of the season to date.
The Crimson Tide (4-0, 1-0 in the SEC) is currently a 17.5-point favorite over the Razorbacks (3-1, 0-1). However, road games haven’t been easy for Alabama lately. The Tide survived an upset scare during a Week 2 trip to Texas, using a last-minute drive to down the Longhorns, 20-19. Last year, three of Alabama's four road games were decided by three points or fewer, including a 41-38 defeat at Texas A&M.
Here’s a look at some of the key matchups Alabama will have to win Saturday if it wants to leave Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium with its undefeated record still intact.
K.J. Jefferson vs. Alabama's front seven
Nick Saban chuckled Wednesday when asked if Arkansas quarterback K.J. Jefferson reminded him of anyone his team had faced before.
“Not really,” Saban said on the SEC teleconference. “This guy’s pretty unique.”
Jefferson will certainly be a handful for Alabama’s front seven. The 6-foot-3, 242-pound quarterback is a true dual-threat passer and is the lynchpin of an Arkansas offense that is averaging a respectable 479 yards per game. Through four games, Jefferson ranks second in the SEC with a 175.71 quarterback rating, completing 69.1% of his passes for 941 yards and eight touchdowns with one interception. He also leads all SEC quarterbacks with 274 rushing yards, adding four more scores with his feet.
