10 Things to Know - Colorado State

Arkansas returns home to take on Colorado State on Saturday, Sept. 14, at 3 p.m. at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium. The game will be broadcast on SEC Network and the ESPN app. Here are 10 things to know about this week’s game before kickoff.

1. HogTown begins at 11 a.m. Located on Maple Street between Razorback Road and Stadium Drive, this all-new pregame destination for fans of all ages will open four hours prior to each game and conclude 30 minutes prior to kickoff. There’s something for everyone:
   • Enjoy live music by the Mixtapes on the iHeartRadio main stage
   • Videoboard featuring college football games from around the country
   • Beer garden & food trucks (Happy Hour Specials include $5 Drafts & $5 Spiked Seltzers) plus a variety of food trucks
   • Kids activities including inflatables, balloon artists and face painting
   • Interact with the greatest live mascot in college sports, Tusk V, and enjoy a pep rally featuring the Razorback Spirit Squads, Mascots and Marching Band
   • Autograph session with the National Championship-winning Razorback women’s track & field student-athletes
2. Be in your seat early to enjoy this weekend’s pregame flyover. The Bulldog Flight is a Formation Team flying Experimental RV aircraft. Founded in 2010, the Bulldog Flight is Arkansas’s largest civilian formation team. The crew is composed of 12 members flying Van’s RV aircraft, www.vansaircraft.com. The groups home base is Pine Bluff Arkansas.
3. Long-time public address announcer John George will not be in the booth for Saturday’s game as he is attending to a family matter. The voice of Razorback baseball, gymnastics and women’s basketball Jon Williams will be stepping in in his place for this game only. No reason to be alarmed, John George will be back in action next week vs. San Jose State!
4. It will be the fifth meeting between the two programs and the first in Fayetteville. The first three games in the series were all played in Little Rock before the Razorbacks joined the Southeastern Conference, while last year’s game was held in Fort Collins, Colorado. Arkansas is 3-1 all-time against the Rams and 14-2 against current members of the Mountain West Conference.
5. Through two games this season, the Razorbacks have produced five takeaways, which ranks third in the SEC and 14th in the country. In the first game of the year, Arkansas racked up three interceptions, all from different defenders in Kamren Curl, Joe Foucha and Jarques McClellion. Curl & Foucha were responsible for both of Arkansas’ takeaways at Ole Miss on Saturday, this time coming via fumbles. Foucha recovered a loose ball from QB Matt Corral in the third quarter, while Curl ripped the ball free from RB Octavious Cooley early in the fourth quarter and returned it 69 yards for a touchdown. Arkansas’ turnover margin of +3 also ranks third in the conference and is good for 12th among FBS teams.
6. Sophomore linebacker Bumper Pool has led the team in total tackles in both games this season, increasing his season total to 15 tackles. Pool was one off a career-best in stops against Ole Miss on Saturday, racking up nine, including seven solo, with one tackle for loss. He ranks fourth among SEC linebackers in total tackles through the first two weeks of the year. He recorded the team’s best tackling grade from PFF against the Rebels with a mark of 85.0 over 55 snaps of action. In the season opener against Portland State, Pool put together the top quarterback pressure grade from PFF at 78.0.
7. Junior grad transfer Nick Starkel began the second half at quarterback on Saturday against the Rebels, finishing out the game at the spot. He put together a 17-for-24 line, throwing for 201 yards and a touchdown. He connected with sophomore Koilan Jackson on a six-yard pass in the fourth quarter for the first passing TD of the season for Arkansas. Combined with Hicks’ 98 yards, the duo helped Arkansas pass for 300 yards for the first time since last year’s season opener against Eastern Illinois (353). Starkel graduated from Texas A&M after a career in College Station with 1,962 passing yard and 14 touchdowns over two years, which featured two games of 400+ passing yards against New Mexico and Wake Forest in the Belk Bowl. Starkel was named the starter for Saturday’s game against Colorado State by head coach Chad Morris earlier in the week.
8. Ten different receivers caught a pass on Saturday night in Oxford, six with multi-reception performances. It was the first time since Oct. 6, 2018, against Alabama that 10 players hauled in a pass in a game. Leading the charge were freshman Trey Knox and sophomore Mike Woods, who put up nearly identical totals, combining for 12 receptions and 172 yards through the air. Knox picked up the longest offensive play of the night on a 49-yard pass from Hicks in the second quarter, finishing with six catches for 88 yards. It was the most receiving yards by a Razorback this season. Woods hauled in his longest play of the game in the fourth quarter on a 45-yard toss from Starkel, ending the evening with a career-best six catches for 84 yards.
9. Junior safety Kamren Curl’s presence has been felt all over the field in the first two games of the 2019 season. Curl recorded the first interception of the season for the Razorbacks, the first of his career, in the second quarter against Portland State to put Arkansas in the red zone. He also recorded two sacks, both solo, during Portland State’s second and fourth drives of the game. He finished the contest with five tackles, four unassisted stops, for his 12th career game of five or more tackles. Pro Football Focus (PFF) rated him as Arkansas’ top defender against Portland State with an overall grade of 83.2, including coverage and QB pressure marks of 84.9 and 81.0, respectively, all career-bests from the outlet. Against Ole Miss, he finished second on the team in stops with eight, including six solo, while forcing and recovering a fumble in the fourth quarter, housing it for a 69-yard return to make it a one-score game. It was his first career fumble recovery and second forced fumble of his collegiate career. Curl is the only player in the SEC with an interception, sack & fumble recovery for a TD this season.
10. Senior tight end Cheyenne O’Grady returned to the field after missing week one with an injury. He immediately made an impact with three catches going for 45 yards, as all three receptions went for first downs to extend the Arkansas offensive drives. With his performance, he became Arkansas’ active career reception (57) and receiving yards (640) leader. He posted the team’s top receiving grade from PFF at 76.0.