Arkansas will run over Vols; USC will top Oregon

The game everyone's been waiting for is just a week away. No, not Miami (Ohio)-Bowling Green, though a MAC grad can dream.

Of course, Ohio State-Michigan has everyone wishing they could grab Adam Sandler's remote from Click and fast-forward to the Nov. 18 showdown between Nos. 1 and 2, but this weekend isn't without its share of intrigue as a surprise SEC power looks to take a step closer to Atlanta and USC enters the meat of its schedule.

Marquee Matchup (13) Tennessee at (11) Arkansas 7 p.m. ET (ESPN2) Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium, Fayetteville, Ark.

Three things you should care about

1) The Volunteers are eighth in the SEC against the run, while no SEC team moves the ball better than Arkansas. The Razorbacks have arguably the nation's best running back tandem in Darren McFadden and Felix Jones, who lead a unit that's fourth in the nation with 238.89 yards a game. Behind that punishing duo, Arkansas has dominated the clock; it held the ball for nearly 37 minutes in the win over South Carolina, running 50 times.

"It comes down to you know you're going to run the ball, they know you're going to run the ball, what are you going to do?" Razorbacks guard Stephen Parker told the (Arkansas) Morning News. "The whole offense has to get the mentality, 'I don't care what they do, I don't care if they're putting 12 guys in the same gap, we're running the ball.' "

That could spell trouble for Tennessee's rush defense, which watched LSU rush for 231 yards and hold onto the ball for more than 41 minutes in the Tigers 28-21 win last week. The last two weeks, the Vols have allowed five yards a carry.

The Vols know the run is coming, but can they handle it?

2) Jonathan Crompton will be making his first career start, but expect the Volunteers to rely heavily on the passing game with so much uncertainty in the backfield. If having the 93rd-ranked rushing attack wasn't bad enough, Tennessee has to play the first half Saturday in Fayetteville without second-leading rusher Arian Foster. He was suspended after being arrested and charged with disorderly conduct and underage consumption of alcohol stemming from a nightclub incident after the Vols' loss to LSU. Leading rusher LaMarcus Coker is expected back, but he hasn't played since injuring his knee against Alabama.

That puts more pressure on Tennessee redshirt freshman Crompton. Crompton will start in place of Erik Ainge, who aggrivated his injured left ankle last week. Crompton passed for 182 yards and two touchdowns in relief of Ainge against LSU, throwing TD passes of 37 and 54 yards to Robert Meachem.

Offensive coordinator David Cutcliffe expects Crompton to play even on Saturday.

"He absolutely is going to be more comfortable," Cutcliffe told The Tennessean. "He will see better. We are not going to limit a game plan. We will go in with a full game plan for him."

3) Casey Dick could be the missing piece for the Hogs 101st-ranked passing game. After replacing heralded freshman Mitch Mustain, who threw an interception in Arkansas' first series against South Carolina, Dick threw for 228 yards -- the most passing yards by a Razorback since 2004. He was 8-of-11 for 123 yards in the second half. The only knock against his performance was a pick, but it was a result of a ball that was tipped by Marcus Monk (who had his biggest game of the year, catching eight balls for 192 yards and a TD).

While Mustain is undoubtedly the future in Fayetteville, he's thrown eight picks this season. Arkansas needs composure at quarterback against a Vols pass defense that's picked off 14 passes this season. Tennessee has struggled the last two weeks, though, allowing 230 and 247 passing yards -- the most since the season-opener against Cal.

If Dick can come close to replicating the outing he had against South Carolina, Arkansas may have solved its biggest question on offense.