Previewing Saturday’s matchup between Vanderbilt and Arkansas at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium at 11 a.m. CT on SEC Network.
History Lesson: Vanderbilt trails in the all-time series vs. Arkansas 2-7. The two schools have not played since 2011, a 31-28 Razorbacks win in Nashville. The Commodores last ventured to Fayetteville in 2010, dropping a 49-14 setback.
Names to Watch (Arkansas):
QB Ty Storey
The redshirt junior missed Arkansas’ win over Tulsa last week following a concussion suffered the previous week against Ole Miss. But Storey is expected to start against Vanderbilt,; he has completed 57 percent of his passes for 983 yards, five touchdowns and five interceptions this season.
LB De’Jon Harris
Harris ranks second in the SEC in tackles with 82 and has also chipped in six tackles for loss and two sacks. The junior amassed a career-high 16 tackles against Texas A&M earlier this season.
S Santos Ramirez
Ramirez is a senior anchor to the Razorbacks’ secondary and led the squad with 10 tackles in last week’s 23-0 win over Tulsa. Overall, he ranks second on the team in total tackles (63).
The Statistical
18
Pass yards accumulated by Kentucky in last week’s win over Vanderbilt. Quarterback Terry Wilson completed just 3-of-9 passes for 18 yards vs. the Commodores. But the Dores gave up 284 rush yards on the ground, including 169 yards from Benny Snell, in the loss.
36
Tackles made by Vanderbilt senior linebacker Jordan Griffin in his last two games. Griffin recorded 18 total stops apiece in the Dores’ last two games against Florida and Kentucky, the most by a Commodore defensive player in at least two decades. Griffin’s efforts helped VU hold Kentucky to 14 points last week.
30.8
Vanderbilt’s third-down conversion percentage on offense vs. Kentucky. The Commodores completed just 4-of-13 attempts on third down against the Wildcats.
The Big Question: Can Vanderbilt finally close a game? Commodores’ coach Derek Mason has said his team is very close to breaking through in SEC play. A trip to Arkansas, which sits 2-6 overall and 0-4 in SEC play, is just the right opportunity. But Vanderbilt still must play sound defense and put pressure on Storey and the Hogs’ offense. That’s the recipe for Vanderbilt’s first SEC victory.
Vanderbilt Needs To: Dominate third down. In its last two games against Florida and Kentucky, the Commodore offense has converted just 5-of-25 of its third-down attempts. Despite a down year, Arkansas ranks 31st nationally in third-down defense (33.01 percent). The expected return of running back Ke’Shawn Vaughn should help the Dores’ cause, but they can’t afford a lackluster game on third down.
Did You Know? In the last matchup between these two programs, Vanderbilt held a 14-point lead over 10th-ranked Arkansas in Nashville before the Hogs stormed back to steal a 31-28 win.
He Said It: “I told this group, if you improve an inch and a half in any of those areas or all of those areas, the opportunity to win is right there for you.” –Vanderbilt head coach Derek Mason
Zac Ellis is the Writer and Digital Media Editor for Vanderbilt Athletics.
