Arkansas football travels to Oxford, Miss. to take on Ole Miss in an epic SEC West clash this week.
The Razorbacks will likely have their hands full once again when the Arkansas football team takes on No. 17 Ole Miss Rebels. Head Coach Sam Pittman has the Hogs ready to bounce back and in a position to succeed against Lane Kiffin’s Rebels.
Both Arkansas and Ole Miss have fantastic athletes that will have a big impact in this game. Let’s take a look at some players (from both teams) you’ll want to watch in this epic Arkansas vs Ole Miss football game.
Let’s take a look at some Arkansas football players to watch in this matchup against Ole Miss.
Arkansas football player Dominique Johnson is someone to watch in Arkansas vs Ole Miss
It wasn’t that long ago that Arkansas coach Sam Pittman moved running back Dominique Johnson to the tight end position in a practice because he reportedly wasn’t cutting it as a running back. Johnson said the move “really put a fire” under him and motivated him to “go harder at running back to show them I’m an actual running back,” according to KNWA.
It’s seems Pittman’s tactic worked because Johnson earned his way into the running back rotation for the Razorbacks and is making a big impact on the field.
Johnson has 23 caries for 157 yards this season, good enough for 6.8 yards per carry. The second-year Hog has scored a touchdown in each of the first three games this season.
However, he was unable to get any traction against Texas A&M or Georgia in recent weeks.
Look for Johnson to have a big bounce-back game against Ole Miss, a team that allows more than 150 rushing yards per game.
Arkansas linebacker Bumper Pool is a player to watch in Arkansas vs Ole Miss
Bumper Pool, the heart and soul of this Arkansas Razorback defense, has been one of the best linebackers in the Southeastern Conference this season. Pool has 49 total tackles through Week 5, good enough for second most in the SEC.
Against Georgia, Pool had a season-high seven solo tackles and assisted on four more, for a total of 11 tackles.
Bumper Pool will have his hands full against Ole Miss when they take on dual-threat QB Matt Corral. Arkansas will surely keep a spy on him to limit a big breakaway run. Perhaps Pool will be the spy, but if not, he’ll be making sure his teammates are right where they need to be on every snap.
Let’s take a look now at some Ole Miss players that will be impacting the game on multiple levels. First up is a stud defensive lineman for the Rebels.
Ole Miss senior defensive lineman Sam Williams has been an absolute force this season, recording five sacks and forcing two fumbles in just four games.
Williams has really stepped up this season for Ole Miss, as he’s already recorded more sacks through four games than he did for the entire 2020 season when he had 4. He’s on pace for a career-year.
The offensive line for Arkansas had the week to heal after facing the onslaught of Georgia’s defensive line last week, but it will likely need to double team Williams to keep him from reaching QB KJ Jefferson behind the line.
Ole Miss junior quarterback Matt Corral is one of the best QBs in the country. He currently has the second-best odds of winning the Heisman trophy this season (+300), trailing only Alabama QB Bryce Young (+120), according to odds provided by WynnBet.
Matt Corral is not just a Heisman hopeful, he’s also projected to be the first quarterback taken in the 2022 NFL Draft. Walter Football’s latest mock draft has Corral being picked fourth overall.
He’s a dual-threat quarterback with explosive athletic ability that will make life difficult for the Arkansas Razorbacks this week. Through the first four games this season, Corral has completed 87 of 125 passes for 1,210 yards. He’s thrown 10 touchdown passes and no interceptions. Additionally, he’s gained 161 rushing yards on 46 attempts for 6 touchdowns.
Corral will be one of the toughest matchups of the year for Arkansas’ defense.
To get the latest odds on Heisman hopefuls or any college football game, check out WynnBet.