The Big Game - Hogs at Barners

I want to have a good feeling about this game, but reason just won't let me. On paper its not a terrible mismatch, at least not from the perspective of a Hog fan.

Auburn holds an edge at QB, if only because this is Mitch Mustain's first real road test. But, Vandy was a road game you might say...but Vandy is Vandy I respond. Big difference in noise between the Plains and Nashville. Mustain has a nice confidence about him for a freshman, but Auburn has the best defense the Hogs have faced yet. And the best they will face until LSU. Mitch doesn't need to go 25-30 300 3-0 for the Hogs to stay in. But he can't put up the hideous stat line he put up against Alabama and have it be anywhere near a close game.

The running back matchup is probably a draw on face value. McFadden vs Irons is the best matchup of starting running backs you'll find in the conference, and one of the best in the nation you could hope for. But the Hogs also have Felix Jones and Micheal Smith. Smith is a clone of Fred Talley. And Fred Talley is still running against Auburn from four years ago. Throw in H-Back (that's what I consider him at least) Peyton Hillis and the Hogs have an advantage here.

At wideout, I admit to not knowing much of anything about Auburns' WRs and being too lazy to look it up. The Hogs don't have great wide receivers, but they have depth there for the first time in years. Marcus Monk is an all-conference performer and Damien Williams likely will be in the coming years. The problem here, as it has been for years, is getting consistency from this group. They can't afford any drops. This is probably a draw, but I'll say Auburn may have a slight edge on experience alone.

Arkansas' o-line has been solid, not spectacular. Not a lot of sacks given up, pass protection has been decent. Auburn also possesses a very talented o-line. But they will be down a starter for this game at center. I'd give them the advantage if they were 100%, instead I'll call it a draw.

The Defenses are the story of this game. Auburn's has looked great, Arkansas's has looked average, with moments of greatness and moments of ineptitude. But Auburn's only been giving up 12 pts a game. Only gave up 3 to a very good LSU team. But South Carolina showed that Auburn could be vulnerable to a spread attack with a mobile QB. Mustain hasn't appeared that mobile however, and Arkansas' switch to a spread offense has been implemented fully just yet. And Auburn should, in theory, feast on an freshman QB with no experience on the road. Mustain is the future of Arkansas, but I'd feel better about this if Casey Dick had been able to start from Day 1. But he wasn't and hasn't been seen too much this year as Mustain has been given the freedom to make mistakes and grow into the starters role. The Razorback D has been succeptible to the Big Play all year, and they can't give up a single one of them tomorrow morning. The Hogs have created but one turnover all year and they will need to create them tomorrow to help out the offense.

If the Hogs are to pull this one out, its gonna take a care-taker style game out of Mustain and a huge performance from McFadden and Jones. The D is going to have to put in its best performance of the Reggie Herring era. Darius Vinnet may finally be able to play tomorrow and that would help a ton, but I'm not sure if even his return would be enough. Auburn is the #2 team in the nation for a reason. The final score should reflect a game that was relatively close, but I'm expecting Auburn to be in control the whole time.

Auburn 28
Arkansas 17