By Hunt Palmer
Fan bases in Arkansas and Louisiana are looking toward the future with new coaches.
The current teams have played hard through adverse circumstances after the firings of Sam Pittman and Brian Kelly. Arkansas has lost one-score games at Tennessee, against Texas A&M and to Mississippi State. The Auburn loss was by nine, but the hogs led by eight entering the fourth quarter.
LSU hung tough with Alabama last week despite a putrid offensive effort.
Kickoff coms early on Saturday for those in purple and gold. Here are three matchups to watch Saturday morning between LSU and Arkansas.
ARKANSAS EDGE QUINCY RHODES JR. VS. CARIUS CURNE/WESTON DAVIS/ORY WILLIAMS
Arkansas has the worst defense in the SEC by 45 yards and two points per game. The hogs have allowed every opposing SEC offense to score at least 33 points including Auburn who only averages 23.9 points per game.
None of that is Quincy Rhodes Jr.’s fault. The 6-foot-6, 275 pound edge rusher has eight sacks and 14 tackles for loss which are both second in the SEC.
There wasn’t a player I came away more impressed with in Week 3 than Arkansas EDGE Quincy Rhodes Jr.
Hadn’t heard of him until I watched this tape. And man was he all over it with legit NFL traits. Sky-high traits. A true junior right now and a rotational player.
But phew. pic.twitter.com/de6BdbSBlf
— Cory (@fakecorykinnan) September 18, 2025
LSU is without left tackle Tyree Adams and has a rotation at right tackle that has struggled. Weston Davis has started seven of eight games. He was replaced at Alabama by Ory Williams who hadn’t seen significant time in his two seasons at LSU.
No matter which side Rhodes lines up on, LSU is going to have to be aware of him at all times. None of the three tackles matches up well with Rhodes who is really the only defensive punch Arkansas brings to the table.
TAYLEN GREEN VS. BLAKE BAKER
Since arriving in the spring of 2024, Blake Baker has taken LSU’s defense from rancid to respectable. This tiger team has limited opposing running backs, covered well and at times dominated.
Crazy how uncanny the similarities are with Taylen Green.
Excited to see which postseason all-star game he ends up attending https://t.co/qFw0a40A42 pic.twitter.com/SDeIqyjWnR
— Emory Hunt (@FBallGameplan) November 12, 2025
Mobile quarterbacks have been a nightmare, though.
Marcel Reed ran for a career high 108 yards and two touchdowns for Texas A&M. Diego Pavia led Vanderbilt with 86 yards and two scores. Trinidad Chambliss added 71 yards on 14 carries at Ole Miss.
Taylen Green leads the nation in total offense. He runs for more than 70 yards per game and has six rushing scores.
Green will scramble to find open grass with those rangy strides. He’ll take the ball on designed runs, too.
Harold Perkins Jr. was an elite spy as a freshman, but he hasn’t been able to corral quarterbacks this year. LSU’s linebackers have to be aware of Green at all times, and the defensive front can’t get too far up the field to allow him to step up.
GARRETT NUSSMEIER VS. MICHAEL VAN BUREN
I think this is a legitimate competition. Nussmeier will get the first reps, but if a drive or two stalls, a change will be made. That’s especially true if Arkansas is scoring on the other side.
Arkansas has the second worst pass defense in the SEC, so Nussmeier should be able to complete throws if given time. That’s a big if.
Arkansas has the worst run defense in the league, so Harlem Berry and Caden Durham should be able to help. But if Rhodes gets busy up front and LSU needs some athleticism at quarterback, Van Buren will get the call.
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