Ornery Arkansas set to rebound
Before he begins collecting a fat paycheck in the NFL, Arkansas running back Darren McFadden has a chance to roll up big numbers and establish himself as the best player in college football.
McFadden made a strong case for the Heisman Trophy last year, when he finished No. 2 in the voting, behind Ohio State quarterback Troy Smith and ahead of Notre Dame quarterback Brady Quinn. Both of those guys are gone to the pros.
After rushing for 1,647 yards and 14 touchdowns as a sophomore, the hard-working Hog is setting his sights on the attainable goal of 2,000 yards this season.
McFadden has 346 yards on the ground through two games, and the Razorbacks' next six opponents -- Kentucky, North Texas, Chattanooga, Auburn, Mississippi and Florida International -- make up the soft underbelly of their schedule.
Arkansas is a 61/2-point home favorite over Kentucky on Saturday, but the Razorbacks will not overlook the Wildcats.
Kentucky senior Andre Woodson is emerging as the Southeastern Conference's top passer, with nine touchdowns and no interceptions, and a highly ranked pro prospect. Woodson has thrown 257 consecutive passes without an interception, 14 shy of the NCAA record.
The Wildcats are coming off a dramatic 40-34 victory over rival Louisville in which Woodson threw a winning 57-yard touchdown pass with 28 seconds left.
The Razorbacks are angry after a last-minute collapse in a 41-38 loss at Alabama. McFadden rushed for 195 yards on 33 carries.
A fast-paced game favors Arkansas, which can ride McFadden and Felix Jones to wear down a Kentucky defense allowing 4.8 yards per carry.
In an emotional-letdown spot for the Wildcats, play the favorite and look for McFadden to carry home the cash.
Five more plays for Saturday (home team in CAPS):
• INDIANA (+3) over Illinois: Hoosiers sophomore Kellen Lewis is an underrated quarterback. Lewis is a capable passer, with nine touchdowns during a 3-0 start, and leads the team with 317 yards rushing. Indiana's defense is tied for the NCAA lead with 17 sacks. The home team has won four of the past five in this series, and Illinois is 1-15 straight up in its past 16 on the Big Ten road.
• BRIGHAM YOUNG (-11) over Air Force: It's a good time for Cougars coach Bronco Mendenhall to light a fire under his undisciplined team. BYU has won and covered the past three against Air Force by scores of 33-14, 62-41 and 41-24, a margin of 19 points per game. The Falcons are fortunate to be 3-0.
• Penn State (-3) over MICHIGAN: The best player on the field will be the Wolverines' Mike Hart, the nation's rushing leader with 502 yards. But the Nittany Lions have the far better defense, and they will rattle Michigan freshman quarterback Ryan Mallett if senior Chad Henne is not ready to go. Penn State coach Joe Paterno is due for payback after dropping eight straight in the series.
• South Carolina (+171/2) over LOUISIANA STATE: Everyone is enamored with LSU, which has blown out three mediocre opponents. It's also true the Tigers are loaded and tough to bet against. But the Gamecocks have a strong, veteran defense, and coach Steve Spurrier is easy to support. Spurrier has covered seven in a row on the road.
• ARIZONA STATE (-12) over Oregon State: The Sun Devils are a hot team under new coach Dennis Erickson. Junior quarterback Rudy Carpenter and senior running back Ryan Torain lead an offense averaging 37 points per game. The Beavers, who have a chaotic QB situation, were crushed in their only road game at Cincinnati. In this series, the home team is 17-2-1 against the spread.
Last week: 2-3-1 against the spread
Season: 8-9-1
Review-Journal sportswriter Matt Youmans can be reached at 387-2907 or myoumans@reviewjournal.com.
