10 Things to Know – UAPB

After a one-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 altered 2020 schedule, Arkansas (4-3, 1-3 SEC) returns to War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock and steps out of conference play to face FCS opponent UAPB (1-5, 0-4 SWAC) at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 23 on SEC Network.

10 Things to Know

1. - For the sixth time in seven games, the Razorbacks outgained its opponent (460-427) but fell in its first home game in nearly a month to Auburn last weekend, 38-23. Arkansas ran 89 offensive plays compared to Auburn’s 61 and recorded a 29-20 edge in first downs. The Hogs rushed for 232 yards, eclipsing the 200-yard mark for the fifth time this season.

2. - The Razorbacks are also playing their first game against an in-state opponent since defeating Arkansas A&M – now known as Arkansas-Monticello – 41-0 in 1944 in Fayetteville. Arkansas has two more games against in-state opponents on its future schedules. It will play UAPB again in 2024 and play Arkansas State for the first time in program history in 2025. Both of the games will be played in Little Rock.

3. - The Arkansas rushing attack is one of the best in the country this season, averaging 243.0 yards per game on the ground to rank eighth-best nationally and fourth in the SEC. Running back Trelon Smith leads the team with 435 rushing yards, and is followed by running back Raheim Sanders (388) and quarterback KJ Jefferson (386). Arkansas is one of only five schools – Air Force, Buffalo, Tennessee, UCLA – with three rushers to total over 300 rushing yards this season. Running back Dominique Johnson made his first career start against Auburn and ran six times for 42 yards and a touchdown.

4. - Quarterback KJ Jefferson has thrown for 1,463 yards and 11 touchdowns while gaining 386 yards and scoring five touchdowns on the ground. Jefferson is one of two SEC quarterbacks – and one of six in the FBS – with 1,400+ passing yards and 300+ rushing yards on the year. He is also one of just eight FBS quarterbacks to total at least 10 passing touchdowns and five rushing scores. Additionally, he is the first Arkansas quarterback to accomplish that feat since Matt Jones in 2004 (15 passing TDs, 6 rushing TDs). The redshirt sophomore leads the SEC averaging 14.6 yards per completion. Jefferson’s 157.3 passing efficiency mark is also fourth-best in the SEC.

5. - Wide receiver Treylon Burks leads the team in nearly every major receiving category, pacing the team in receptions (38), receiving yards (628), receiving touchdowns (5), and receiving yards per game (89.7). He leads the SEC in receiving yards and ranks 13th nationally. Burks also leads the SEC with 12 plays of 20 or more yards. With his season-high nine catch and 109-yard outing against Auburn, Burks climbed to ninth all-time in program history with 1,923 receiving yards. He scored two receiving touchdowns against the Tigers, his second career two score game.

6. - Linebacker Bumper Pool leads the team with 69 tackles and is second in the SEC and 10th in the country averaging 9.9 tackles per game. Pool’s 293 career tackles are tied for 14th-most among active FBS players.

7. - Defensively, Arkansas ranks 15th nationally and leads the SEC allowing its opposition to convert just 31.0% of third downs. Last year, the Hogs surrendered a 46.9% third down conversion percentage by opponents. Additionally, Arkansas’ pass defense is second in the SEC and 16th in the nation by allowing only 175.4 passing yards per game.

8. - Second-year head coach Sam Pittman is one of just 14 SEC coaches in history to take over a team with a losing record and lead it to a top 10 spot in the AP Poll in their first two seasons. The Razorbacks were ranked eighth in the fifth release of this year’s AP Poll. Pittman and Houston Nutt (1998) are the only Razorback head coaches to accomplish the feat.

9. - The Razorbacks are playing their first game in Little Rock since a 24-14 setback to Missouri in the 2019 season finale and hold a 151-61-4 (.708) all-time record when playing games inside War Memorial Stadium. The Hogs have had great success, especially against non-conference opponents, in Little Rock and are 23-4 (.852) since 1992 against non-league foes. The Razorbacks have won three of the last four games, eight of the last 10 and 23 of the last 25 games against non-league teams at War Memorial.

10. - Arkansas and UAPB are meeting on the gridiron for the first time. The Razorbacks have won their last 17 games against FCS opponents, last falling to The Citadel 10-3 in 1992. Over the Hogs' 17-game win streak against the FCS, which was formerly known as I-AA until 2005, they are outscoring the opposition by an average of 32.8 points per game.