W********s 发帖数: 2256 | 1 Arkansas Razorbacks' weakness: Rushing yards per game. There's no question
that Arkansas' passing game is
one of the nation's best, earning top-five status in both passing efficiency
and passing yardage (the only team
in the country to do so). And while it has improved over the course of the
season, the team's running game is
lacking, averaging only 151 yards per game on the ground (65th in the
country). It could be particularly tough
for the Razorbacks to move the football on the ground against a Buckeyes
rush defense that is third in the
nation despite having to face elite running teams Illinois, Wisconsin and
Michigan. The Bucks' pass efficiency D
is no joke, either, ranking fourth in the country, but Ryan Mallett will be
the toughest challenge they've faced.
The other two highly efficient QBs OSU has gone up against this year,
Wisconsin's Scott Tolzien and Iowa's
Ricky Stanzi, have been effective against the Buckeyes (and neither one is
on Mallett's level).
Ohio State Buckeyes' weakness: Sacks allowed per game. The Buckeyes have let
opponents get to Terrelle Pryor
1.83 times per game this season, and while this isn't a horrific stat (OSU
is 54th in the country in sacks
allowed), this has to be an area of concern for Ohio State's offense when
facing the Razorbacks' D, which is
fifth in the country in averaging more than three sacks per game. This is
the strength of Arkansas' defense,
which has been exposed at times this season, particularly against the run.
Getting to Pryor and potentially
forcing him into mistakes (he's tossed 11 INTs this year) will be key for
the Razorbacks in this one.
Overall: Much has been made about OSU's struggles against SEC teams in the
past, but the Buckeyes actually
hold a significant statistical advantage in this one, especially on the
defensive end. In three critical defensive
categories (scoring D, rush D, pass efficiency D), Ohio State is third,
third and fourth, respectively, in the
nation. Mallett and Arkansas will test the Bucks' defense with a passing
game better than anything it has seen
all season long, and the Razorbacks will really need to exploit their
advantage in this area if they are to pull off
the win. | s**i 发帖数: 1308 | | s*****e 发帖数: 1368 | |
|