FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — For the first time all season, Arkansas (3-4, 1-3 SEC) has momentum going their way going into the 6:45 p.m. CT kickoff of the Battle Line Rivalry game against No. 23 Missouri (5-2, 2-2 SEC).

Two weeks after the Razorbacks snapped a 14-game SEC losing streak at Vanderbilt, they return to Razorback Stadium to find out if their overall improvement is good enough to knock off one of it's most frustrating foes over the past decade.

The Tigers offer Arkansas some sort of measuring stick to process exactly how far first-year coach Ryan Silverfield team has progressed recently. Missouri will test them defensively with an explosive offense, physical defense and a sustained success within the program under coach Eli Drinkwitz.

It's no secret that Missouri has dominated the Battle Line Rivalry since the trophy game's inception in 2014. The Tigers have won four consecutive meetings and nine of the previous 10, including a 31-17 victory in Fayetteville last November.

Missouri ran all over Arkansas' defense to a tune of 322 yards that afternoon, held Arkansas to 61 and shut out the Razorbacks in the second half after trailing 17-14 at halftime.

Much like he's said since taking the job, Silverfield isn't interested in revisiting failures over previous seasons, and that includes those shortcomings against Missouri. He's only focused on what his team can do with what is in front of them.

"I've tried to avoid talking about recent history here," Silverfield said on Monday. "Obviously, I always appreciate former players. I always appreciate the entire history of Arkansas football. Everybody realizes how important that is to me in this program, but we have not talked about the recent failures versus Missouri. That has zero reflection or zero effect on what we're going to do moving forward."

Drinkwitz is certainly aware of Arkansas' improvements in recent weeks, and it was apparent in their 24-17 loss to Tennessee and 31-21 victory at Vanderbilt ahead of the bye week. The two coaches are fairly familiar with each other having faced off while Silverfield was at Memphis in 2024.

"Coach Silverfield and his staff are doing a really good job," Drinkwitz said on Tuesday. "I think you can see as you watch the tape, they're forming their identity. They're sticking with their process. They're figuring out who they are, resulting in their win at Vanderbilt. The quarterback is really starting to play his best ball. They're coming together running the football."

There's still some significant statistical differences between these programs as Missouri averages more than 10 points per game, allows eight fewer than Arkansas does while also featuring one of the SEC's most effective run defenses.

Here's a closer look at the matchups, players and developments that could determine Saturday's outcome.

Missouri's Ground Game Presents Major Challenge

Drinkwitz's offensive design centers around a rushing attack that is simply hard to prepare for because so much of what they do relies on engaging in physicality early and often.

With such an effective quarterback in Austin Simmons, the Razorbacks' defense will have to play with tremendous discipline in order to keep up and not allow Missouri to wear them down.

"As you watch Missouri's run game this year, like it actually gets stronger in the fourth quarter, which is one of those deals. They just keep relying on it," Silverfield said. "Whether Hardy can play or not, listen, like you said, it doesn't matter who the running back is, their offensive line, their tight ends have done a nice job with it.

"And part of it, now, the play action, the boots with Simmons can do off of those things can certainly cause you some trouble."

Arkansas Must Establish A Rushing Attack

The Razorbacks biggest concern during the early parts of the season was the lack of a consistent run game. Whether that was due to an offensive line that struggled to manage much, if anything on the ground.

Arkansas rushed for a season-high 187 yards and three touchdowns in its victory at Vanderbilt. There was a consistent push up front, which led to Braylen Russell, Cam Settles and Sutton Smith each finding running lanes throughout the game.

Even quarterback KJ Jackson, who led the team with 58 yards and a touchdown on the ground, was running with confidence and averaged over five yards per carry.

Missouri presents an entirely different challenge giving up just 103 yards per game and just a shade over three yards per carry. Their defense remains disciplined at all three levels, and can certainly limit explosive plays from its opponents having only allowed six runs of 20-plus yards this season, and none of more than 29 yards.

"They are just really gap sound. I mean, their defensive line will be sitting there playing a three technique and he remains a three technique," Silverfield said. "Can't run the ball there. Soon as you go to put in the play-side A-gap, the tackle will rip, shed, and make the tackle for a one-yard gain or a loss. So they're very gap sound. They're really good with their hands.

"Their linebackers come downhill, make plays. Their safeties, even if it's not always, you know, generally a one high type shell. Whether it's the boundary safety or free, depending on the rotation, rock and roll safety rotation based off what they're doing, even some of their cover six stuff, they're coming down making plays. They've been very sound with what they want to do in the run game."

Potential QB Duel

Missouri is prone to have deficiencies in pass coverage this season, the Tigers currently ranks No. 95 nationally by allowing 226.6 yards per game through the air with 13 touchdowns. However, are even worse against conference opponents giving up over 268 yards per outing along with eight scores.

The Tigers have allowed 63 pass plays of at least 10 yards and nearly 32% of those have exceeded 20 yards. Most of the secondaries Jackson has faced this season rank near the top 40 nationally against the pass, but if his growth continues this weekend, Arkansas could have a chance for an upset on Saturday night.

Simmons has provided the Tigers with a significant upgrade through the air after transferring from Ole Miss. Through seven games, he has completed 132-of-209 passes for 1,773 yards, 14 touchdowns and just two interceptions.

His efficiency has allowed Missouri to become quite explosive down the field with wide receivers Cayden Lee and Donovan Olugbode combining for 1,212 yards and 11 touchdowns.

Since Week 3 against Georgia, Jackson has completed 93-of-146 passes for 1,038 yards, seven total touchdowns and only two interceptions. If the Razorbacks establish enough of a ground game to keep the Tigers honest, Jackson could have opportunities to attack downfield with Chris Marshall, AJ Jordan, Monte Harrison and Jamari Hawkins on Saturday.

Arkansas Must Capitalize If Missouri's Redzone Struggles Continue

One area the Razorbacks must take advantage of is Missouri's inability to capitalize when the offense approaches scoring opportunities.

The Tigers will enter the rivalry game next Saturday ranked somewhere in the mid 110s nationally scoring touchdowns on just 14-of-28 possessions when drives have reached the redzone. Drinkwtiz's offense will need to figure out how to flip the script on that if they want to pull out a much needed road victory to get the season back on track.

Missouri's inability to finish drives could provide Arkansas with an opportunity to keep Saturday's game within reach, even if the Tigers find success moving the football between the 20-yard lines.

For a Razorback defense that has struggled to consistently stop opposing rushing attacks, forcing field goals instead of allowing touchdowns could be the difference in pulling off an upset and falling short at home in the Battle Line Rivalry once again.

History Shows Hogs Don't Treat Opponents Well on Halloween

Saturday also marks Arkansas' 105th homecoming celebration, and the Razorbacks are 61-39-4 in such games but haven't won one since defeating Tulsa in 2018.

This will be the first time since LSU in October 2024 that Arkansas will play an SEC opponent under the lights of Razorback Stadium. With the game scheduled for Halloween, Arkansas has played 17 games on Oct. 31, and are 9-1-1 since 1953 with its only loss in that stretch coming on the road at Texas A&M in 2020.

Arkansas in Halloween Games

2020: L @ A&M
2015: W vs UT-Martin
2009: W vs Eastern Michigan
1998: W @ Auburn
1992: T @ Auburn
1987: W @ Rice
1981: W @ Rice
1970: W @ Texas A&M
1964: W @ Texas A&M
1959: W vs Texas A&M
1953: W vs Texas A&M
1942: L @ Texas A&M
1936: W @ Texas A&M
1931: L vs TCU
1925 W vs LSU
1914: L @ Oklahoma State
1908: L @ Oklahoma

RECORD: 11-5-1

Three Keys To An Arkansas Victory

1. Stopping Mizzou's Run Game

Tigers running back Jamal Roberts led the country in rushing prior to the bye week with 867 yards and eight touchdowns on the ground. He's been a workhorse for Chip Lindsey's offense, but was held far shy of his season averages in a 31-3 road loss to Ole Miss two weeks ago.

Missouri will likely provide Roberts with the lionshare of carries while sprinkling in Ahmad Hardy, who returns this week after recovering from a preseason gunshot wound in the leg.

"That offensive scheme, that wide zone they've done a fantastic job every year," Silverfield said. "You're sitting there saying 'Man, they pulled a guy from [FCS] they pulled this guy that was a walk-on and then the next thing you know they're they're rushing for 200 yards a game."

Drinkwitz's team is 5-0 this season when rushing for at least 122 yards, and Arkansas has held it's previous two opponents to 28 yards less than their season average.

2. Keep Jackson in 3rd-and-Managable

The Hogs' starting quarterback has struggled this season in various third down situations, but none have been more challenging than third-and-seven or longer.

3rd Down, 1-3 To Go: 2-of-3 for 26 yards (two first downs)
3rd Down, 4-6 To Go: 8-of-14 for 84 yards (seven first downs)
3rd Down, 7-9 To Go: 6-of-13 for 103 yards (four first downs, two interceptions)
3rd Down, 10+ To Go: 11-of-22 for 160 yards (six first downs, one touchdown)

3. Force Missouri Into Mistakes

One reason Missouri has won five games so far this season and rank in the top-25 nationally is because they don't make many mistakes. This season, the Tigers are +5 in turnover margin and are tied at No. 3 nationally with only four total turnovers.

On the flipside, Arkansas has forced opponents into five turnovers over the past two games, but both Tennessee and Vanderbilt were starting young quarterbacks such as George MacIntyre and Jared Curtis.

Much of Missouri's success is in part of quarterback Austin SImmons understanding how to take care of the football.

"When I talk about the efficiency at the quarterback position, everybody will say, 'Ryan, what do you want to see, like efficiency,'" Silverfield said. "That's part of the decision-making. When you go a whole season like he has and thrown 14 touchdowns and two interceptions, it just speaks volumes about his decision-making and him putting the ball in the right place and what he's been able to do with it.

"And so, again, going back to that, I think you tie that in with their effective run game. You sit there and say, 'Okay, there's a reason why they're a top 25 team in the country.'"