Vanderbilt at Arkansas Fearless Prediction, Game Preview

By Pete Fiutak | October 23, 2018 1:34 pm

Vanderbilt at Arkansas fearless prediction and game preview.

Broadcast

Date: Saturday, October 27
Game Time: 12:00 ET
Venue: Razorback Stadium, Fayetteville, AR
Network: SEC Network

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Vanderbilt (3-5) vs. Arkansas (2-6) Game Preview

One Reason Why Vanderbilt Will Win

Turnovers, turnovers, turnovers.

Vanderbilt needs them, and Arkansas will give them away.

The Hog defense might be coming up with takeaways here and there, but the O will be good for at least an interception, and it should give it up at least two times overall. For a Vanderbilt offense that’s sputtering too much, it has to take advantage of the opportunities.

It also needs field position.

The Hogs have the league’s worst punting game, and the Commodores have a good enough return game to get by. Vandy is okay at tilting the field a bit.

Go +2 in turnover margin, bog the game down with field position, and keep the score low. Against the middling Arkansas O, Vandy can do that, but …

One Reason Why Arkansas Will Win

Grind, grind, grind, grind, grind.

Arkansas might not have a big-time offense, but it’s great at controlling the clock and the defense is impressive at coming up with third down stops. Vanderbilt also doesn’t have a big-time offense, and it’s awful at controlling the clock and coming up with third downs stops.

The Commodores are dead last – and 119th in the SEC – in third down defense, allowing teams to convert 47% of their tries.

This isn’t going to be any sort of a shootout. Getting points will be like pulling teeth, and possessions will matter.

Getting Storey back will be a huge help. He won’t bomb away, but he threw for 230 yards against Alabama and completed 12-of-15 passes against Ole Miss. Just being okay might just be good enough.

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What’s Going To Happen

Neither team has the offensive pop, but the Arkansas defense will be just a wee bit better, and the there will be just a bit more offensive balance.

Don’t expect a thing of beauty. It’ll be a low scoring battle with the mistakes being a huge deal. Vanderbilt will make a few more of them, and Arkansas will overcome a sluggish offensive day by generating points off of two takeaway.