FAYETTEVILLE -- The biggest heavyweight match since Sumo wrestling looms tonight at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Ala.
Telecasting the 6 p.m. Southeastern Conference game pitting the Arkansas Razorbacks, 2-3, 1-1, against the nationally No. 8 Alabama Crimson Tide, 4-1, 1-1, ESPN (Resort Channel 30) may require every wide-angle shot and then some to encompass the battle of the bulge between Arkansas' offensive line and Alabama's defensive line.
The biggest offensive line at any level of football, Arkansas weighs in way above 300 center through tackles. Center Mitch Smothers is 6-3, 322 pounds; left and right guards guards Sebastian Tretola, 6-5, 334 and Frank Ragnow, 6-5, 312; and left and right tackles Denver Kirkland, 6-5, 340, and Dan Skipper, 6-10, 331.
On the defensive front, few come any bigger than Alabama ends A'Shawn Robinson, 6-4, 312, and Jarran Reed, 6-4, 313, and nose guard Darren Lake, 6-3, 315.
Local McDonald's, Whataburgers and Burger Kings combined would be hard pressed to display amount of beef that Arkansas and Alabama bring to the line.
The big battle is bound to cast a huge effect but so will the lesser heralded battle between the Alabama offensive line and Arkansas defensive line.
While not as big across the board, this flipside battle certainly is no place for wimps. Not with Arkansas defensive tackle DeMarcus Hodge listed 6-1, 340 and Alabama offensive tackles Cam Robinson and Dominick Jackson, listed 6-6, 326, and 6-6, 315.
Clint Stoerner said the battle between Alabama's offense and Arkansas' defense could wield the biggest influence of all.
A four-year Arkansas letterman and three-year starting quarterback from 1997-99, Stoerner is on the SEC Network as an analyst. So he had seen a lot of film on coach Bret Bielema's Razorbacks and coach Nick Saban's Crimson Tide, 16-point favorites, before addressing the Northwest Arkansas Touchdown Club on Wednesday.
"It's going to be Arkansas' defense," Stoerner said of the unit whose success or failure is apt most to determine the game's outcome. "I have yet to see that front really be an impact in a game. They have done a good job statistically, but you are fixing to face a downhill running game with a back (Alabama's Derrick Henry) 6-3, 230 or whatever (actually listed 242). That's going to be a whole different. The key to me is Arkansas' front seven vs. this running game."
Stoerner did allow, against a "good" Tennessee team that Arkansas defeated 24-20, that the Razorbacks kept "good back" Jalen Hurd under relative control, 19 carries for 90 yards, and stifled running quarterback Joshua Dobbs, seven carries for seven yards.
Dobbs is not a polished passer, and Tennessee'sinjuries at receiver left him few threats for targets and for Arkansas better to stop his scrambles and designed running plays.
Alabama quarterback Jake Coker, 79 of 139 for 976 yards and nine touchdowns vs four interceptions, isn't throwing it as well as Arkansas quarterback Brandon Allen, 93 for 141 and 1,360 yards and eight touchdown passes against three interceptions, but Coker has better receivers to throw to and is afforded better protection by the Alabama line than the Vols Arkansas defeated in Knoxville.
And with the exception of a 43-37 loss to Ole Miss when Alabama's offense dug much of the Tide's grave that game committing five turnovers, Coker is complemented by one of the best defenses annually in college football. Alabama's front seven savaged then-No. 8 Georgia 38-10 last week in Athens, Ga., and stopped Arkansas' running game the last three years while beating the Hogs 52-0, 52-0 and 14-13.
That 14-13 score does show Arkansas caught up considerably to Alabama last year.
And Allen's vast passing improvement, even minus injured receivers Keon Hatcher, Jared Cornelius and Cody Hollister out for the season but with Drew Morgan, 155 and 110 receiving yards the past two games, complements the Razorbacks re-establishing their running game the past three games.
Arkansas junior tailback Alex Collins has exceed 150 yards rushing each of his last three games, and freshman running back Rawleigh Williams netted 100 against Tennessee.
"I don't know that he's going to go for that," Stoerner said of Collins running 150 plus on Alabama. "But I don't know that you need that. I think they can run it effectively."
Last year's dominating defenses made it virtually a standoff when Alabama edged Arkansas by one point in Fayetteville.
Both coaches gear for a nail-biting repeat.
"It's a real challenge for us," Saban said.
Bielema said, "It's a tremendous task, but a good opportunity to find out where we are at. I think our kids are excited to get over there and see what we can do."
Sports on 10/10/2015