How to Watch-Listen: Liberty May Be Tougher Than Fans Expected
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Liberty's defense has done well the last two weeks, but that wasn't against an SEC defense.
The Flames, ranked No. 23 in the country, have only lost to No. 20 Wake Forest where they led by a field goal going into the final period then lost a shootout by a single point.
Arkansas may have a little more trouble than a lot of people expected when they saw a Group of 5 time on the schedule in that early November slot.
The key to this game may be how the Razorbacks' offense manages to score with the Flames. Their coach, Hugh Freeze, has always managed to have teams that score a lot of points.
Can the Hogs' defense manage enough stops in this one?
Game notes
• Following three consecutive games on the road, the Hogs return to Razorback Stadium for the start of a three-game homestand.
Arkansas, looking to hit the six-win mark for the second year in a row and become bowl eligible for the third straight season, hosts No. 23 Liberty at 3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 5 on SEC Network.
• Liberty is the second nationally ranked non-conference opponent that Arkansas will face this season. The Hogs opened the year against then-No. 23 Cincinnati, making it the first time in school history that Arkansas has played two ranked non-conference foes in the regular season.
• With a win against Liberty, Sam Pittman would become the fourth Arkansas head coach to earn bowl eligibility in each of their first three seasons, joining Lou Holtz (1977-79), Ken Hatfield (1984-86) and Houston Nutt (1998-00).
• Quarterback KJ Jefferson continues to amaze through the air and on the ground. Jefferson has completed 125-of-185 passes (67.6%) for 1,697 yards and 15 touchdowns with just one interception while rushing for 389 yards and six scores in seven games. Despite missing one contest, Jefferson, who has eight career games with both a passing and rushing touchdown, is the only SEC quarterback with 15+ passing touchdowns and 5+ rushing scores this year.
• Running back Raheim ‘Rocket’ Sanders is the Hogs’ leading rusher through seven games, totaling 1,041 yards on 156 carries (6.7 avg.) with seven scores on the ground. Sanders, who leads the SEC in both rushing yards (1,041) and rushing yards per game (130.1), only needed eight games to reach the 1,000-yard mark on the ground, matching RB Madre Hill’s program record of eight games set in 1995.
• Wide receiver Jadon Haselwood leads Arkansas’ receiving corps with a team-high 36 catches for 467 yards (13.0 avg.) and three touchdowns. A transfer from Oklahoma, Haselwood has caught three or more passes in each of his first eight games as a Hog and has tallied at least one catch in 20 games in a row dating back to the start of the 2021 season.
• Linebacker Drew Sanders has emerged as one of the top defensive playmakers in college football, racking up 65 total tackles with a team-leading 7.5 tackles for loss and a team-high 6.5 sacks through seven games. Sanders, who has forced an SEC-best three fumbles, leads the SEC in sacks, sitting a half-sack ahead of Alabama LB Will Anderson Jr. (6.0) and one sack ahead of teammate DL Jordan Domineck (5.5).
Game notes from Arkansas Communications
How to watch-listen to Hogs-Flames:
The Auburn Tigers will play the Arkansas Razorbacks on Saturday at 3 p.m. on the SEC Network and fuboTV with Taylor Zarzour (play-by-play), Aaron Murray (analyst) and Alyssa Lang (sidelines) on the call.
Radio: You can listen to the game at HitThatLine.com or on the radio at ESPN Arkansas 99.5 in Fayetteville, 95.3 in the River Valley, 96.3 in Hot Springs and 104.3 in Harrison-Mountain Home.
Satellite: Sirius XM channel 137 or 190 and 961 on the app.
Betting via SI Sportsbook
Line: Arkansas -14.5
Over/under: 61
Moneyline: Arkansas -752, Liberty +450
FPI pick: Arkansas 75.6% to win; 56.3% to cover spread
Series History
The two teams have never faced each other on the football field.
HOGS FEED:
WHAT MIKE NEIGHBORS, PLAYERS THOUGHT AFTER AN EXHBITION WIN LITTLE TOO CLOSE FOR SOME
WHAT LIBERTY BRINGS TO FAYETTEVILLE FOR SATURDAY'S GAME AGAINST THE RAZORBACKS
SEC ROUNDUP: AUBURN DEFENSIVE PLAYERS CLEAR ON WHO THEY WANT TO REPLACE BRYAN HARSIN
RAZORBACKS' NICK SMITH LANDS ON SEC COACHES' FIRST TEAM
WATCH: HOGS' DREW SANDERS, KETRON JACKSON ON FACING LIBERTY ON SATURDAY
WATCH: RAZORBACKS' LUKE JONES, HUDSON CLARK AFTER PRACTICE TUESDAY
LIBERTY'S HUGH FREEZE AFRAID OF COLD, DOESN'T LIKE FAYETTEVILLE GAMES
ANTHONY BLACK'S DUNCANVILLE TEAM STRIPPED OF STATE TITLE, COACH SUSPENDED
NOW THAT ARKANSAS RAN OFF HARSIN, AUBURN NEEDS LIST OF QUALITIES TO SEEK OUT IN NEW SHINING 'KNIGHT'
AUBURN WANTED TO CAP WEEKEND BY FIRING HARSIN & HIRING HOGS' AD
LATEST SEC SHORTS: ARE TENNESSEE FANS AFRAID OF ANYTHING THESE DAYS?
MIKE NEIGHBORS PREVIEWS WEDNESDAY NIGHT EXHIBITION GAME
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