OGS Spotlight Game Of The Week: Alabama at Arkansas

Mallett Won't Be Enough
To Save No. 10 Razorbacks

By JOHN P. WISE
One Great Season

Is this the week Ryan Mallett asserts himself as the Heisman front-runner with a signature victory?

Or will Saturday's showdown between No. 1 Alabama and No. 10 Arkansas bring Razorback Nation back to reality?

The Tide begin a three-game stretch against SEC foes all currently ranked among the OGS Top 15. After Saturday's tilt in Fayetteville, 'Bama returns home to play No. 8 Florida next week and then hits the road again to face No. 14 South Carolina on Oct. 9.

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But looking ahead is costly in college football, especially in the SEC, and considering the assignment at hand this week, expect Nick Saban and his reigning national champions to exhibit the proper focus.

Mallett is completing 70 percent of his passes and averages 360 yards passing and three touchdowns per game. Outstanding performances for sure, particularly last week when he led Arkansas to a win at Georgia in the final minute.

Alabama's dominant defense carried it to the national title last season. This year, the Tide are led by an offense that's just as explosive, but there is some concern about its pass defense. And if Mallett can stay within himself, not press for the huge play and find some of those soft spots, an upset is very possible.

As good as Arkansas is this year and as great of a season as Mallett will end up having, however, I don't think the Razorbacks are ready for the big kids' table just yet. Sure they can compete in the rough-and-tumble SEC, but we're talking about the No. 1 team in the country. Bobby Petrino has a nice team that will win nine or 10 games this year, but this won't be one of them.

Alabama will ride its two-headed monster of a rushing attack, as well as its big-game experience, and win a close one, 26-23