Ad Disclosure
After escaping TCU with a double-overtime victory last weekend, the Arkansas Razorbacks will return to Fayetteville and host the Texas State Bobcats in Week 3.
Although there is plenty of hype surrounding Arkansas’ SEC opener against the Texas A&M Aggies in Dallas next week, there is still excitement surrounding this week’s matchup against a non-conference foe that beat Ohio in a triple-overtime shootout in its season opener.
Here is what a few media outlets are saying about the Razorbacks’ meeting with the Bobcats on Saturday night:
- Arkansas won’t be taking the Bobcats lightly, explains Chandler Carson in The Arkansas Traveler. Even though the Razorbacks will be heavily favored for Saturday’s game with Texas State, they certainly won’t be overlooking the Bobcats of the Sun Belt Conference. Although Texas State is inexperienced, Arkansas expects the team to be riding high after beating Ohio in the debut of first-year head coach Everett Withers.
- Texas State will be focused after wild Week 1 win, according to Keff Ciardello of the Austin American-Statesman. After finishing 2015 with a 3-9 mark, the Bobcats opened this season with a 56-54 victory at Ohio. But after posting a 1-4 record in its first five games of last year, Texas State will have the benefit of coming off a bye before facing Arkansas. Throughout the off week, Withers made sure the Bobcats forgot about their victory in Week 1.
- Saturday’s game should allow DJ Dean to see a bigger role, says Jimmy Carter in a recent story for Arkansas Online. The senior cornerback returned to the field after suffering a hamstring injury, though he only played six snaps against the Horned Frogs. When healthy, Dean has been one of the Razorbacks’ top corners, but he’s only made 12 starts in his career. This week may allow him to gain some more reps before Arkansas squares off against the Aggies next Saturday.
- Withers has made an immediate impact at Texas State, says Ryder Burke in a recent column for the Texas State University Star. When Withers was hired to take over the Texas State program after previously coaching at James Madison, Bobcats fans wondered how much of an effect it would have on the program. The coach proved he could have his team prepared to play well out of the gates, though Arkansas will provide the first-year coach’s team with an even bigger test.
- Arkansas won’t dwell on Week 2 victory, explains Nate Allen in the El Dorado News-Times. As big as their victory at TCU was, the Razorbacks didn’t let it marinate for too long. There was no time for that with a pass-happy Texas State team ready to invade Fayetteville in search of its second upset in as many weeks. Even though beating the Horned Frogs helped Arkansas return to the Top 25, the team was quick to turn the page and focus on the Bobcats.
