Arkansas Sports 360 - ArkansasSports360.com

11/4/2011 at 11:45am

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Tyler Wilson and the Arkansas offense face a South Carolina team that has 16 sacks and 16 interceptions this season. Kickoff between the No. 7 Razorbacks and No. 9 Gamecocks is set for 6 p.m.

Zach Hocker doesn’t just have range on field goals. As we found out earlier this week, the sophomore kicker can go extra long on the hyperbole, too.

Asked about playing at Reynolds Razorback Stadium for the second time in 48 days and starting a stretch of three consecutive games in state, Hocker summed it up like so: “It is really nice coming back to a home crowd. It feels like we haven't played here in years this season.”

Years?

While the Razorbacks’ last home game was actually Oct. 8, Hocker’s statement tells us a lot about what No. 7 Arkansas (7-1, 3-1)  endured in its previous two games. Both were come-from-behind affairs on the road that started early and ended with late sighs of relief.

Maybe Hocker was thinking how those games at Ole Miss and Vanderbilt took years off folks’ lives. That one is hard to argue, right?

Getting back home and playing at night is just one of the many factors that have this team amped for Saturday’s 6 p.m. game against South Carolina. Don’t forget the Gamecocks (7-1, 5-1) come into a not-quite-sold-out Razorback Stadium ranked No. 9 in the BCS.

While much of the college football-loving country will be tuned in for No. 1 LSU at No. 2 Alabama, this is a vitally important game for the Razorbacks and Gamecocks.

Win and the Razorbacks would keep themselves in contention for a BCS bowl. A victory would put them in nice company, joining seven other Arkansas teams with 8-1 starts. South Carolina could remain in contention for a second consecutive SEC East division title with a victory.

Big game. Adding to it will be ESPN televising beginning at 6 p.m., and the Razorbacks want to show those in attendance and those not distracted by the Tigers-Crimson Tide that this year’s team truly is the best of the Bobby Petrino era at Arkansas.

This team isn’t winning big. It’s not winning pretty. But the Razorbacks are winning. And they’re well aware of what happens if they continue to win.

“Anytime you get into this part of the season, into November, you kind of start talking about the end game,” defensive end Jake Bequette said. “Even though we take it one week at a time, we still fully understand what’s in front of us if we keep winning. That definitely stays fresh in our minds, and that’s definitely one of our goals, to win the rest of our games.”

Beating South Carolina looks like no easy task. Statistically, the Gamecocks are among the SEC’s best defenses and they’ve used a strong defensive line to record 13 sacks, plus pressure quarterbacks into 16 interceptions.

Defensive end Melvin Ingram leads the line with 5.5 sacks as part of his 32 tackles. He’s twice been named SEC Defensive Player of The Week in helping South Carolina limit opponents’ big plays. So far the Gamecocks have yet to surrender a 40-plus yard play.

Arkansas quarterback Tyler Wilson, who engineers the SEC’s top passing offense (321.1 yards per game), said he still sees opportunities to move the football. He’ll need good protection and have to make sound decisions, but the Razorback quarterback said the team feels confident the offense is capable of producing even against a defense as stout as the Gamecocks.

“I expect us to have some big plays,” Wilson said. “It’s always on our goal board that we have four big chunk plays. I expect us to have a few of those, even if they're crossing routes they catch at five yards and turn them into 40-yard big plays. I expect us to have some big plays.”

Defensively, the Razorbacks will of course have to limit big plays. South Carolina has not been explosive, particularly since quarterback Stephen Garcia was dismissed last month and all-SEC tailback Marcus Lattimore went down with a knee injury.  In consecutive weeks the team has posted 14 points in wins against Mississippi State and Tennessee.

If you’re looking for an area to feel good about Arkansas’ chances that’s probably it. South Carolina might not have the firepower to match the Razorbacks score-for-score.

Arkansas hasn’t been great on defense this year, however. Stopping the run has been problematic (No. 89 nationally) and the team is among the worst in the country in sacks (No. 100).

Even so, this team has found ways to win the last few weeks. Since dispatching then-No. 15 Auburn 38-14 in Razorback Stadium early last month this bunch has struggled. Starting slow has been a real issue for the team, something Petrino went silent on this week.

Instead, he wanted to look at the end result.

“When you look at our team right now, I don’t feel like we’re playing as well as I want to play,” Petrino said. “But I’ve had years where you play really well in a game and all of a sudden you look up and you lost the game. So, although we haven’t played as well as we want to the last two weeks, we have found a way to win the game.

“There is a lot to be said for that.”

And that’s certainly no exaggeration.

Tagged: Arkansas Razorbacks, Zach Hocker, South Carolina, Bobby Petrino