Arkansas Better Equipped for Misery Hogs will Face Saturday

Missouri game to feature snow, deep cold that won't bother several key Razorbacks

Arkansas Razorbacks wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa (4) scores a touchdown in the second quarter against the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium. / Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — It's not often of late that it's an easy task to find a consensus of Razorbacks fans online leaning overwhelmingly toward Taylen Green over Malachi Singleton in the quarterback battle discussion.

The Ole Miss game alone is enough to split pretty much any room. However, against Missouri Saturday when temperatures are expected to be freezing all day long and snow is projected to impact the game, the scales of experience should decidedly tip Green's way.

The weather forecast for the Arkansas vs. Missouri game Saturday. / weather.com

Not because of the number of games he's played as a Razorback. Instead, it's the number of games Green played as a Boise State Bronco that gives him the edge.

Idaho gets much colder than it will be in Columbia Saturday, so it's something he knows how to combat, all the way from how to keep his arm and hands warm throughout the game to which type of cleats to wear when there's snow on the field. One of Green's signature moments came on a frozen field that had been cleared of snow in a night game against Wyoming with a trip to the Mountain West championship game on the line.

Green calmly threw a fourth quarter touchdown to complete the comeback in the frigid temps. A week later, with the game on the line, he went 91 yards around the left end with a minute left to put away Utah State on a cold Boise afternoon.

But he's not the only player on this team equipped for success in the weather Arkansas will face Saturday. Running back JaQuinden Jackson spent plenty of time in cold weather and moving around in snow during his tenure at Utah.

And while Jackson was a Texas kid learning how to handle the colder weather up north, Isaac TeSlaa is quite the opposite. He grew up in Michigan where cold and snow are just a way of life, which gives Arkansas its quarterback, top running back and its most sure-handed receiver confidence in what's coming.

That's not been the case in years past. Down in the trenches, the Hogs have cold weather experience on both sides of the ball.

Anton Juncaj made his name at Albany. It's snowing there tomorrow and will be in the 20s and damp all week long, so a little cold and snow isn't going to bother him.

Tight end Andreas Paaske comes from Copenhagen, Denmark, an area that had 18 cm of snow fall just last week. The point is, while the weather is going to be miserable, the roster is better equipped in key positions to withstand the conditions than in years past.

Plus, if the field gets sloppy, there's always the option to line up the 250+ pound Braylen Russell at running back and pound the rock provided he is healthy. It will make for an interesting visual on TV, and because Arkansas has at least a handful more players who are fully equipped for it, the final score might be more interesting to Razorbacks fans than in years past.

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