Rutgers (3-0, 1-0 Big East) at Arkansas (1-2, 0-1 SEC)
Kickoff: Saturday, 7 p.m. ET (ESPNU)
Spread: Arkansas by 7
Watchability: After questioning some teammates’ effort in the 52-0 loss to Alabama, Arkansas quarterback Tyler Wilson is optimistic he’ll play Saturday, though he had not been medically cleared as of Wednesday afternoon. Wilson suffered a concussion in the Razorbacks’ overtime loss to Louisiana-Monroe.
Shining stars: Arkansas: Chris Gragg. The 6-3, 236-pound junior is tied for second nationally among tight ends with 5.7 catches per game. A Mackey Award candidate, Gragg ranks second nationally among TEs with 75.3 receiving yards per game. Rutgers: Jawan Jamison. The 5-8, 200-pound workhorse ran for 151 yards and a touchdown on a school-record 41 carries in Saturday’s 23-13 win over South Florida. It was the fourth-straight 100-yard game for Jamison, a sophomore who’s drawn comparisons to Ray Rice.
Who could steal the show: Arkansas: Knile Davis. His return from a fractured ankle hasn’t gone as planned; Davis has 191 rushing yards and two TDs through three games. But Davis might have taken a step forward when he ran for 59 yards against Alabama. That’s the most rushing yards the Tide allowed an opposing player in the last five games. Rutgers: Khaseem Greene. The senior linebacker leads the nation’s fifth-best scoring defense (8.3 points per game). He’s made double-digit tackles in five straight games, including 10 in the win over South Florida.
You going? Ranking the road trip: The Fayetteville faithful are down about the Razorbacks’ horrific start. As a result, $45 general admission tickets for Saturday’s game are available. And you can find them for $10 on StubHub.com. Still, Razorback Stadium is a striking scene for night games.
Magic number for Arkansas: 6.3. That’s how many yards Dennis Johnson is averaging on his 16 carries this season. The Razorbacks need to get him the ball more.
Magic number for Rutgers: 8.3. That’s how many tackles for loss Rutgers is averaging this season, which ranks 15th nationally.
The game comes down to: If Wilson plays as expected, the Razorbacks should make it 15 straight nonconference wins in Fayetteville. But it won’t be easy against a stout Scarlet Knights defense.
Prediction: Arkansas 24, Rutgers 20
For more up-to-the-minute news and analysis from SEC bloggers Daniel Lewis and Larry Hartstein, follow @CBSSportsSEC.