10 Things to Know – Penn State
No. 21 Arkansas (8-4, 4-4 SEC) travels to play in the Outback Bowl for the first time in program history and will meet Penn State (7-5, 4-5 B1G) on the gridiron for the first time on January 1, 2022. Kickoff is slated for 11 a.m. CT ESPN2.
10 Things to Know – Penn State
1. – Arkansas last played on Black Friday and defeated Missouri 34-17 to win four of its last five regular season games. The Razorbacks claimed the Battle Line Rivalry Trophy for the first time since 2015’s 28-3 victory in Fayetteville. Quarterback KJ Jefferson completed 15-of-19 passes for 262 yards and a touchdown, while also leading the rushing attack with 58 yards. In what would be his final game inside Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium, wide receiver Treylon Burks hauled in seven receptions for 129 yards and a score. The defense held the Tigers to only 70 passing yards, Missouri’s fewest since 2014 against Florida.
2. – Burks has opted out of the Outback Bowl, with most media outlets projecting him as a first round pick in the NFL Draft. He finished the 2021 season being named All-SEC first team by both the coaches and AP by tallying 66 catches for 1,104 yards (16.7 ypc) and 11 touchdowns. The Warren, Ark. product set a program record totaling six 100+ yard receiving games in a season and became just the fourth receiver in school history to eclipse the 1,000-yard mark in a year.
3. – The Arkansas rushing attack is one of the best in the country this season, averaging 217.3 yards per game on the ground to rank second in the SEC and 12th nationally. Four ball carriers have each totaled over 400 rushing yards this year in running back Trelon Smith (592), quarterback KJ Jefferson (554) and running backs Dominique Johnson (499) and Raheim Sanders (498). Arkansas and Ole Miss are the only two teams in FBS that feature four 450-yard rushers this year. The last time the Hogs had four 400-yard rushers was 1975, Frank Broyles’ second to last season as head coach. Running backs Ike Forte (983), Jerry Eckwood (792) and Rolland Fuchs (618) and quarterback Scott Bull (533) led the way for a team that rushed for 320.3 yards per game, the single-season school record.