College Football HQ

Kirk Herbstreit predicts winner of Ole Miss-Arkansas game

Joe Cox|
ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit made his College GameDay prediction for one of Week 3's most competitive matchups-- Ole Miss vs. Arkansas.
ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit made his College GameDay prediction for one of Week 3's most competitive matchups-- Ole Miss vs. Arkansas. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Ole Miss RebelsArkansas Razorbacks

Amid several competitive Week 1 games, Arkansas and Ole Miss might sneak up the radar, but not for Kirk Herbstreit. The popular ESPN analyst considered the game on College GameDay and dropped an upset pick for the Razorbacks on the road.

Kirk's take

Taylen Green is going to be the difference in the game, with [offensive coordinator] Bobby Petrino. Some points going back and forth, I think Arkansas can maybe pull off an upset here.
Kirk Herbstreit

Arkansas's hopes

Coach Sam Pittman was hanging to his job after a 4-8 2023 season, but he brought back offensive guru Bobby Petrino to call plays. Petrino was the head coach at Arkansas from 2008 to 2011, going 34-17, but also leaving the program under an off-field scandal after a bizarre incident involving a motorcycle accident and an extramarital affair.

Arkansas won seven games last year, as Petrino upped the offense from 26.6 points and 327 yards per game to 30.9 points and 459 yards per game. Quarterback Taylen Green passed for 3,154 yards and rushed for another 602 yards. Green is back this season with the Hogs and has started red-hot, passing for 561 yards and 10 touchdowns while rushing for another 192 yards and a score.

No. 17 Ole Miss is a mild home favorite against the Razorbacks, but the Rebels have had some issues. In wins over Georgia State and Kentucky, QB Austin Simmons has made plenty of explosive plays, but also has committed five turnovers. Ole Miss bested Kentucky by a single score, and certainly have some efficiency issues moving into the showdown with Arkansas.

ESPN's FPI statistics are high on the Rebels, giving Arkansas just a 26.3% chance at pulling off the upset. FPI is fairly impressed with Arkansas too, though, projecting the Razorbacks to win seven games, but giving them a 17.1% shot at the College Football Playoff. An upset over Ole Miss would certainly move the needle in Fayetteville.

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Joe Cox
JOE COX

Joe is a journalist and writer who covers college and professional sports. He has written or co-written over a dozen sports books, including several regional best sellers. His last book, A Fine Team Man, is about Jackie Robinson and the lives he changed. Joe has been a guest on MLB Network, the Paul Finebaum show and numerous other television and radio shows. He has been inside MLB dugouts, covered bowl games and conference tournaments with Saturday Down South and still loves telling the stories of sports past and present.

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