10 Things to Know - Western Kentucky

Arkansas and Western Kentucky square off at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 9, at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium. The game will be broadcast on SEC Network and can be streamed on the ESPN app. Here are 10 things to know before kickoff.

  1. Final HogTown in Fayetteville. 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 Members Only 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 and kids activities including inflatables, balloon artists and face painting.
  2. Senior Day. We’ll be honoring our 16 senior football players before the game for their contributions to the University of Arkansas. Be in your seat by 10:35 a.m. to be a part of it. The senior Arkansas football payers who will be recognized in a pregame ceremony on Saturday before the Western Kentucky game are: McTelvin Agim, Jamario Bell, Matt Berry, Austin Capps, Chase Harrell, De’Jon Harris, Colton Jackson, Hayden Johnson, Connor Limpert, Trey Purifoy, Gabe Richardson, TJ Smith, Jimmie Stoudemire, Britto Tutt, Devwah Whaley and Brenden Young.
  3. It will be the first meeting between Arkansas and Western Kentucky. The Razorbacks are facing a first-time opponent for the third time this year after hosting Portland State (Aug. 31) and San Jose State (Sept. 21). Arkansas is 55-30-3 all-time against current Conference USA members.
  4. John Stephen Jones set for first career start. Jones has seen extended playing time in each of the last two games against Alabama and Mississippi State, throwing touchdowns in both contests. The Dallas, Texas, native went 6-of-7 passing for 49 yards and a touchdown, while running the ball six times for 14 yards against Alabama. He connected with C.J. O’Grady on an eight-yard pass for Arkansas’ lone score of the night, helping O’Grady break the school record for touchdowns by a tight end. Against the Bulldogs, Jones was 4-of-9 for 25 yards, hitting Mike Woods on a beautiful fade to the right corner of the end zone for Woods’ third touchdown of the season.
  5. True freshman quarterback KJ Jefferson made his debut on Saturday against Mississippi State and sent the crowd into a frenzy after his first offensive drive. Jefferson took the first snap 21 yards to midfield, bowling over a defender in the process. His next play was a handoff to Rakeem Boyd, who took it 17 yards to go past the 100-yard threshold for the day. Then, Jefferson launched a 32-yard strike to fellow freshman Treylon Burks down the home sideline, putting Arkansas inside the five-yard line. From there, Jefferson finished the drive by barreling into the end zone for his first collegiate score, completing a four-play, 75-yard drive in 1:53. His appearance marked back-to-back years a true freshman QB has scored a touchdown on Homecoming, as Connor Noland threw a TD pass to Grayson Gunter in last year’s game against Tulsa.
  6. Junior running back Rakeem Boyd continues to make highlight reel plays week after week, from hurdling oncoming defenders to breaking off huge plays for the Razorback offense. For the fourth time this season and seventh time as a Razorback, Boyd rushed for over 100 yards, finishing with 114 against Mississippi State on Saturday. Included in his total was a 52-yard touchdown run in the second quarter, the third time he’s scored on a play of 50+ yards this season. It was his sixth TD of the season. He ranks third in the conference and 26th nationally in rushing yards with 820, keeping him on pace to be the first Razorback with 1,000 in a season since Rawleigh Williams in 2016.
  7. Freshman wide receiver Treylon Burks has proven he’ll make plays when the ball is in his hands. He currently ranks fourth on the team in receiving with 20 catches and 330 yards, while also taking eight snaps and rushing for 28 yards. He’s been the lone Razorback in the punt return game, fielding 11 for an average of 10.2 yards per return. Burks tried his hand in the kick return game on Saturday against Mississippi State, returning five for 134 yards, taking one for a long of 42 yards vs. the Bulldogs. His 134 kickoff return yards are the most since De’Vion Warren’s 141 in 2017 (Ole Miss). Burks ranks second on the team in all-purpose yards this year with 604.
  8. Over the last two seasons, senior linebacker De’Jon Harris has recorded 100+ tackles, ranking him among the top in the conference among active defenders in total tackles. After nine games, Harris has finally jumped to the top of the SEC leaderboard with 75 total tackles, his first week leading the conference this season. His leap to first came after a 12-tackle performance against Mississippi State on Saturday, his fourth this season in double-digits and 19th of his collegiate career. He now ranks eighth in career tackles at Arkansas with 345. Averaging 8.33 tackles per game, he’s on-pace to come just shy of three-straight years with 100 or more stops; however, Harris has nine or more tackles in each of the last four games, putting him in better position to pass the 100-tackle threshold by season’s end. He is more than just a strong tackler though, as Harris was involved in fumble plays in each of the three games leading up to the game against Alabama, recovering the loose ball against Texas A&M (returned eight yards for a touchdown) and falling on another at Kentucky, while jarring one loose against Auburn. Harris is tied for first in the conference with two fumble recoveries this season and tied for 12th in the NCAA.
  9. Senior defensive tackle McTelvin “Sosa” Agim has picked up tackles for loss in each of the last five games, bringing him to 31.5 as a Razorback after adding another against Mississippi State on Saturday. Before the game against Alabama, Agim had recorded sacks in three consecutive games, totaling 14.5 over his career. He inches closer every week to writing his name in the Arkansas record books, needing two sacks and 1.5 tackles for loss for 10th on the career lists by Razorbacks. His 8.5 tackles for loss this year is tied for fifth in the SEC, just 1.0 behind the conference leader.
  10. Senior kicker Connor Limpert is having a strong 2019 season, connecting on 12-of-15 field goal attempts for a clip of 80 percent through nine games. He’s made six field goals from 40+ yards this year, which included a season-best 54-yarder against Colorado State. His kick against the Rams tied for the ninth-longest in school history and helped earn him SEC Special Teams Player of the Week on Sept. 16. A semifinalist for the Groza Award for the second consecutive season, Limpert ranks seventh in career field goals made at Arkansas with 39 and is five attempts away from eighth in career attempts with 47. His career percentage of 81.3 would finish as a school record if the season ended today.