No. 17 South Carolina takes its five-game winning streak on the road to face Arkansas on Saturday, Nov. 14, with kickoff set for 7:45 p.m. ET at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville.
The Gamecocks (6-3) enter as the hotter team by a wide margin, while the Razorbacks (3-6) are looking to salvage a season that has included four losses in their last five games. The South Carolina vs Arkansas preview centers on one question: can the Gamecocks’ offense keep rolling against a defense that has allowed opponents to average well over 300 total yards per game this season.
South Carolina Vs Arkansas Game Information
- Date: Saturday, Nov. 14
- Time: 7:45 p.m. ET
- Venue: Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium, Fayetteville, Arkansas
- TV/Streaming: SEC Network
- Weather: 45 degrees, 0% chance of precipitation
South Carolina heads into Fayetteville having won five straight, a run that included a 42-25 win at Oklahoma and a 17-9 victory over Texas A&M last week on quarterback LaNorris Sellers’ touchdown run with under two minutes remaining, as Total Apex Sports reported. Arkansas, meanwhile, has lost four of its last five, including a 26-23 defeat at Auburn on Nov. 7.
How Has South Carolina Carried Its Winning Streak Into Fayetteville
Sellers has been the engine behind the Gamecocks’ turnaround. He has completed 172 of 274 passes for 2,100 yards with 17 touchdowns and seven interceptions, and he leads the team on the ground with 637 yards and seven rushing touchdowns on 104 carries. South Carolina is averaging 34.7 points and 452.6 total yards per game, with 205.4 of those yards coming on the ground. The Gamecocks have also converted 63.16% of fourth-down attempts, a figure that reflects their aggressiveness in short-yardage situations.
Mazeo Bennett Jr. leads the receiving corps with 38 catches for 497 yards and five touchdowns, giving Sellers a reliable target when the Gamecocks look to the air. South Carolina’s defense has also been productive, recording 24 sacks and 45 tackles for loss through nine games.
What Has Gone Wrong For Arkansas This Season
Arkansas has struggled to find consistency on offense behind quarterback KJ Jackson, who has thrown for 1,853 yards with eight touchdowns against six interceptions on 165-of-279 passing. The Razorbacks average just 20 points per game and 337.9 total yards, with a rushing attack led by Cam Settles managing only 314 yards on 71 carries. Receiver Chris Marshall has been a bright spot with 48 catches for 698 yards, though he has found the end zone just twice.
The Razorbacks’ most recent result, a 26-23 road loss at Auburn, kept them within a possession of an upset bid, but Arkansas has not won consecutive games since early October. Their lone win in the last five came Oct. 17 at Vanderbilt, 31-21.
Who Are The Expected Starters
Sellers is expected to start under center for South Carolina after directing last week’s game-winning drive against Texas A&M. On the Arkansas side, Jackson is listed as the probable starter at quarterback, with Settles projected to get the bulk of the carries out of the backfield. No injuries appear on the official injury report for either team heading into Saturday.
Key Matchup: South Carolina’s Ground Game Vs Arkansas’ Run Defense
The clearest advantage on paper belongs to South Carolina’s rushing attack, which is averaging 205.4 yards per game compared to Arkansas allowing an offense that has produced 112.4 rushing yards per game of its own, a sign of a defense that has had trouble getting stops up front. South Carolina has racked up 19 rushing touchdowns this season, and with Sellers adding a dual-threat element, the Gamecocks can stress Arkansas’ front seven in multiple ways. How the Razorbacks contain Sellers both as a passer and a runner will likely determine whether Arkansas can keep the game competitive into the fourth quarter.
By The Numbers
- Points per game: South Carolina 34.7, Arkansas 20.0
- Total yards per game: South Carolina 452.6, Arkansas 337.9
- Rushing yards per game: South Carolina 205.4, Arkansas 112.4
- Passing yards per game: South Carolina 247.1, Arkansas 225.4
- Third-down conversion rate: South Carolina 46.40%, Arkansas 43.28%
- Fourth-down conversion rate: South Carolina 63.16%, Arkansas 50.00%
- Sacks: South Carolina 24, Arkansas 12
- Turnover differential: South Carolina minus-3, Arkansas minus-2
Players To Watch
LaNorris Sellers, QB, South Carolina
Sellers has accounted for 24 total touchdowns this season and has been the catalyst for South Carolina’s five-game winning streak, most recently delivering the go-ahead score against Texas A&M.
Chris Marshall, WR, Arkansas
Marshall’s 698 receiving yards lead the Razorbacks by a wide margin, making him the primary outlet for Jackson against a South Carolina secondary that has posted 29 passes defended this season.
What To Watch
South Carolina arrives in Fayetteville ranked No. 17 and riding momentum built on wins over Florida, Tennessee, Oklahoma and Texas A&M. A sixth straight win would keep the Gamecocks firmly in the national conversation as the regular season winds down. For Arkansas, the game is a chance to snap a stretch in which the team has lost four of five and show improvement on a defense that has allowed its opponents to average more total yards than the Razorbacks have gained on offense.
More College Football news from Total Apex Sports.
Don't stop here
Every Score. Every Story. One Home.
Breaking sports, entertainment and news from across the Total Apex network, updated all day.
Get the Full Story →
