Tulsa @ Arkansas preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 1, 2008 ) Tulsa 23, Arkansas 30

After finally snapping its free-fall from the preseason top 10 with back-to-back victories, Arkansas crashed again with last week's last-second loss to Ole Miss and must now win three out of its last four to become bowl eligible. The Razorbacks' final four foes are a combined 28-5 and the hottest of the bunch is up first and not even a conference opponent, as Tulsa visits Saturday looking to end a 17-game series skid. The Golden Hurricane have won seven straight since their season-opening defeat at Iowa State, and the Conference-USA front-runners bring an offense that's averaging 248.8 yards rushing (ninth in the nation) and 39.5 points (16th). Arkansas had beaten Auburn and Kentucky by a combined 73-14 before the 30-27 home loss to the Rebels. The Razorbacks finish their schedule against No. 11 South Carolina, No. 18 Mississippi State and No. 5 LSU. The Razorbacks rank 30th in rush defense, limiting teams to 123.4 yards, but their 14 running scores allowed are three more than any other team in the top 30 has yielded.

TV: 12:21 p.m. ET, SEC Network. Line: Arkansas -7.5

ABOUT TULSA (7-1): Coming off a bye week, the Golden Hurricane will have to play much better than their last showing to leave victorious. They needed a late rushing touchdown by Alex Singleton, his second of the game, for a 28-24 home win over a Rice team that's winless in conference play. The key will be the return of QB Cody Green, who's expected to start after a shoulder injury sidelined him against the Owls. Backup Kalen Henderson was 8-of-23 for 201 yards. Singleton has a school-record 34 career rushing TDs. Leading rusher Ja'Terian Douglas (702 yards) did even more damage versus Rice with 169 yards on 17 carries, and he's averaging 7.9 yards per carry this season. Tulsa's defense leads the nation with 35 sacks and is second in tackles for loss (9.37 per game).

ABOUT ARKANSAS (3-5): Senior QB Tyler Wilson followed up his best game of the season with a shaky 24-of-43, 297-yard effort against the Rebels in which he threw two interceptions and had a few others nearly picked. Wilson's pass protection will have to be stalwart again, as it has yielded no more than one sack in six of Arkansas' eight contests. Arkansas outgained the Rebels 464 to 355, but hurt itself with 12 penalties. The Razorbacks will be without RB Knile Davis, who injured his right hamstring against Ole Miss, and TE Chris Gragg, who last week reinjured a leg bone bruise that sidelined him the previous three games. WR Cobi Hamilton is the lone SEC player averaging 100 yards receiving (112.5) and had 12 grabs for 146 yards last week. With Davis hurt, Dennis Johnson had career highs of 27 carries and 161 yards versus the Rebels, and the kick return specialist is fifth among active FBS players with 4,928 career all-purpose yards.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Arkansas leads the series 52-16-3, having last lost to Tulsa in September 1976.

2. Golden Hurricane senior S Dexter McCoil, who has a school-record 15 career interceptions, was named one of 15 semifinalists for the Jim Thorpe Award this week.

3. After Arkansas, Tulsa's last three games include the two teams right below it in the C-USA West – Houston and SMU – and East-leading Central Florida.

PREDICTION: Arkansas 45, Tulsa 27