TCU preview: Game against Arkansas is first since SWC breakup

TCU (1-0) vs. Arkansas (1-0)

When, where: 6 p.m. Saturday, Amon G. Carter Stadium

TV: ESPN

Last week: TCU 59, South Dakota State 41; Arkansas 21, Louisiana Tech 20

TCU, the No. 15 team in this week’s Associated Press college football poll, will cross paths with former Southwest Conference rival Arkansas to end a 25-year break in the series. The Razorbacks are the lone former SWC rival that the Horned Frogs have not faced since the breakup of the SWC after the 1995 season. The teams last met in 1991, Arkansas’ final season as an SWC member before joining the SEC.

In this matchup, several things stand out:

Where they are similar: The competing coaches crossed paths in the 2011 Rose Bowl. TCU coach Gary Patterson prevailed in that one, 21-19, over former Wisconsin coach Bret Bielema, who took over the Arkansas program in the 2013 season. Both coaches built their reputations as defensive coordinators before becoming head coaches. Bielema served as Kansas State’s co-defensive coordinator in 2002-03 and oversaw Wisconsin’s defense in 2004-05 before taking over the program in 2006. Patterson played at Kansas State (1980-81) and served as a graduate assistant as his alma mater (1982) before becoming defensive coordinator at Sonoma (Calif.) State (1989-91), New Mexico (1996-97) and TCU (1998-2000). He took over the Frogs’ program for the 2001 season.

Where they are different: TCU runs the spread offense and may throw the ball 50 or more times in any given contest. Frogs’ quarterback Kenny Hill completed 33-of-49 passes (67.3 percent) for 439 yards and two touchdowns in last week’s victory over South Dakota State. Arkansas prefers a ground-and-pound rushing attack that runs behind an upsized offensive line. In his 10 seasons as a head football coach, Bielema’s teams have produced 102 players who have topped the 100-yard rushing mark (10.2 per year). Running back Rawleigh Williams (24 carries, 96 yards, one TD) led the Razorbacks in rushing in their season opener.

Notable debuts: TCU quarterback Kenny Hill, a transfer from Texas A&M, threw for 439 yards last week in his first career start for the Frogs. He connected 11 times with Taj Williams, a JC transfer who finished with 158 receiving yards and one TD in his TCU debut. Arkansas quarterback Austin Allen, younger brother of last year’s starting QB Brandon Allen, threw for 121 yards and two touchdowns last week in his first career start.

Trends: TCU enters with a 14-game home winning streak, trailing only Florida State (21) and Clemson (16) among Power 5 programs. The Horned Frogs are 2-1 against SEC teams under Patterson, including a 42-3 rout of Ole Miss in the 2014 Peach Bowl. Bielema is 3-1 against Big 12 opponents during his tenure at Arkansas, including bowl victories over Texas (2014) and Kansas State (last season). Arkansas leads the series, 42-24-2.

Key performers

Significant statistics

TCU

Arkansas

This story was originally published September 7, 2016 at 9:52 AM with the headline "TCU preview: Game against Arkansas is first since SWC breakup."