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Troy-Arkansas Preview
Troy Trojans at Arkansas Razorbacks
- Arkansas has won all three all-time meetings against the Trojans, while outscoring them 125-46 over the three games. In their last meeting (November 14, 2009), Ryan Mallett tied a collegiate career high with five touchdown passes while throwing for 405 yards.
- Arkansas has outscored its opponents 103-10 in the first two games of the season. It is the second highest point total in the first two games of a season in school history and most since 1911. Arkansas has scored 50 points in consecutive games for the first time since 1928 and the sixth time in school history.
- The Razorbacks have started 2-0 for the third time in four seasons under Coach Petrino. The Razorbacks began 3-0 last season. The last time a UA team started at least 3-0 in consecutive seasons was 1988-89.
- Arkansas has returned an NCAA-leading three kicks for touchdowns in 2011 (2 punts, 1 kickoff). No other school has more than one kick return for a touchdown this season.
- Troy, who has lost 18 of its last 19 games against ranked opponents, allowed 69 points in their last game against a Top 25 opponent (69-24 loss vs. South Carolina on November 20 last season).
- Freshman Kody Walker leads all NCAA freshmen and is tied for second in the SEC with four touchdowns scored. All four of his touchdowns have come on 1-yard rushes, including one on his first collegiate carry.
By MATT BEARDMORE
(AP) -- After suffering what coach Bobby Petrino called "concussion-like symptoms" in Arkansas' last game, quarterback Tyler Wilson should be ready to go Saturday night. Even if he can't, the team should be just fine with Brandon Mitchell under center.
The 14th-ranked Razorbacks look to move to 28-0 against Sun Belt opponents as they face a Troy team playing for the first time in two weeks.
After completing 18 of 24 passes for 260 yards and two touchdowns in his first career start - a 51-7 victory over Missouri State on Sept. 3 - Wilson did not play in the second half of last Saturday's 52-3 win against New Mexico after getting injured during a 7-yard TD run in the closing seconds of the second quarter.
"Obviously, you want to minimize the amount of contact you get during the course of a game," said Wilson, who also landed on his head in the season opener while trying to dive for the end zone. "Obviously, I'm going to try and lessen that approach as I move forward. I'll probably try to get out of the way a little bit more."
Wilson ran with his teammates Sunday and said he's "feeling good."
Regardless of his condition, Mitchell will likely get plenty of snaps for an offense that's averaging 549.0 yards and has scored its second-most points through two games in school history.
Mitchell is 18 for 24 for 218 yards with two TDs and no interceptions, and the sophomore also ran for 59 yards and a score last Saturday.
"I thought that was great for Brandon Mitchell, to get all that experience," Petrino said. "... I always felt like we'll never know how good Brandon is until it's live and he gets opportunities to run the ball."
Dennis Johnson could get his first chance to carry the ball after missing the first two games with an injured hamstring.
The junior could add another weapon to a backfield that will likely be without last season's leading rusher, Knile Davis, for the year after he suffered a fractured left ankle in a preseason scrimmage.
Junior Ronnie Wingo carried 12 times for 73 yards last weekend as the Razorbacks rushed for 259.
Arkansas ran for 6.2 yards per carry after posting a 3.1 average in the season opener.
"I was happy with the improvement we made from game one to game two," Petrino said. "... Our playmakers made a lot of plays for us. We looked fast. We looked decisive on what we were doing. I thought both quarterbacks distributed the ball pretty well. I was happy with the way we worked there."
Troy coach Larry Blakeney is well aware of Arkansas' high-powered offense and the special teams unit, which already has three TDs, but he could be most impressed with the Razorbacks' defense, which has allowed 10 points.
"They look like they're much much better and more aggressive and faster defensively," Blakeney said.
That could cause problems for the Trojans' Corey Robinson, who completed 24 of 42 passes for 258 yards with a TD and an INT in a 43-19 season-opening loss at Clemson on Sept. 3.
Troy was outscored by 27 in the second half after taking a 16-13 lead into the locker room.
"When you play a big team like this, you can't play one half," safety Brynden Trawick told the school's official website. "You have to be able to put four quarters together and I think that if we do that we are going to be alright."
The Trojans have dropped 11 straight to ranked teams since a 24-14 victory over then-No. 19 Missouri on Sept. 9, 2004.
Arkansas improved to 3-0 against Troy with a 56-20 victory in Fayetteville on Nov. 14, 2009.
Updated September 13, 2011
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