Paul Finebaum weighs in on Arkansas, Razorbacks chances vs. Georgia

On3 imageby:Nikki Chavanelle09/26/21

NikkiChavanelle

SEC Network expert Paul Finebaum is a believer in the 4-0 Hogs after they snapped a nine-game losing streak against the Aggies on Saturday. Despite that, he’s still not predicting an upset over the No. 2 Georgia Bulldogs next week in Athens.

The Arkansas Razorbacks moved into the top 10 of the AP Top 25 after their 20-10 defeat of Texas A&M in Dallas. Eighth in the nation is the program’s best ranking since the 2004 season.

“The question, really, now is, ‘Can Arkansas keep doing this?’ Finebaum said on the ESPN College Football Podcast. “Fundamentally, they’re really a strong team.

“(KJ) Jefferson is banged up, you don’t know what his condition is and it’s unfortunate that they don’t have Auburn this week, or Mississippi State. They’re going to Georgia and that is not a good spot for them I don’t think. I don’t mean anything against the team, they’ll compete, but it’s a tough turnaround.”

Arkansas sophomore quarterback KJ Jefferson banged up his knee, but he was able to return to finish the game. The former four-star out of Sardis, Mississippi, has 844 passing yards and six touchdowns with two interceptions so far this season. He’s taken less than a sack per game and added 230 yards rushing with two more TDs.

“You look at Arkansas now, everybody feels really good, as you should for the first time since 2003, 2004, now they’ve got Georgia, now they’ve got Ole Miss,” Finebaum’s co-host Matt Barrie said. “Back-to-back road games, at Georgia, at Oxford, and then Auburn… The next two weeks could bring this whole thing back to reality. They’re not going to beat Georgia and I don’t even see them getting by Ole Miss.”

Finebaum agreed.

“I will tell you though, two weeks ago, having been out there, this was a program thinking about a good bowl game this year,” Finebaum said. “I don’t think they’re getting caught up as much as maybe some of the media is. They were 0-(14) under Chad Morris. That win yesterday and the Texas win are enough to feed them through the winter.”

Arkansas opens as 18-point underdogs

Thanks to the unique SEC-only scheduling for the 2020 season due to COVID-19, Arkansas gets to play the Georgia Bulldogs for the second year in a row.

Last year’s game started as a stunner with the Hogs leading 7-5 at halftime. Georgia erased the deficit with 22 points in the third quarter and finished 37-10.

According to VegasInsider, the Bulldogs are favored by 18 points at home in Athens. Kirby Smart’s program is coming off a 62-0 rout of Vanderbilt.