No. 21 Arkansas (7-3, 3-3) at No. 2 Alabama (9-1, 5-1)
2:30 p.m. CST Saturday (CBS)
Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa
1 SEC player has 1,000 receiving yards in the 2021 season after Alabama WR Jameson Williams reached that milestone with six receptions for 158 yards and three TDs in a 59-3 victory over New Mexico State last week. The SEC has had at least one 1,000-yard receiver for 13 consecutive seasons. Williams has 51 receptions for 1,028 yards and 10 TDs to rank among the 13 players nationally with 1,000 receiving yards in the 2021 season. Williams owns Alabama’s 12th 1,000-yard receiving season, and he’s been preceded by seven players – David Palmer in 1993, DJ Hall in 2006 and 2007, Julio Jones in 2010, Amari Cooper in 2012 and 2014, Calvin Ridley in 2015, Jerry Jeudy in 2018 and 2019 and DeVonta Smith in 2019 and 2020.
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2 Teams in the nation have four players with at least 450 rushing yards apiece this season – Arkansas and Ole Miss. For the Razorbacks, RB Trelon Smith has 513 yards and four TDs on 102 carries, RB Raheim Sanders has 460 yards and one TD on 87 carries, QB KJ Jefferson has 474 yards and five TDs on 107 carries and RB Dominique Johnson has 456 yards and six TDs on 71 carries.
5 Previous Arkansas-Alabama games have featured two ranked teams, with the Crimson Tide winning each time. For Saturday’s game, Alabama is No. 2 and Arkansas No. 21 in this week’s AP Poll. The Tide and Razorbacks most recently matched up as ranked teams in 2016, when No. 1 Alabama defeated No. 16 Arkansas 49-30. In the teams’ first meeting, No. 1 Alabama defeated No. 9 Arkansas 10-3 in the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 1, 1962. No. 2 Alabama defeated No. 6 Arkansas 24-9 in the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 1, 1980, in their second meeting. In SEC games, No. 1 Alabama defeated No. 10 Arkansas 24-20 in 2010 and No. 3 Alabama defeated No. 14 Arkansas 38-14 in 2011.
5 Consecutive Alabama-Arkansas games have featured at least 40 points for the Crimson Tide. Alabama has scored at least 40 points in six straight games against an SEC rival once – the past six meetings with Ole Miss. In its past five meetings with the Razorbacks, Alabama won 49-30 in 2016, 41-9 in 2017, 65-31 in 2018, 48-7 in 2019 and 52-3 in 2020.
7 Turnovers have been lost by Arkansas this season – four fumbles and three interceptions. Nationally, only California with six has fewer turnovers in 2021 than Arkansas. Alabama has 16 takeaways this season, recovering four of its opponents’ fumbles and intercepting 12 passes.
13 Consecutive seasons have featured at least 10 victories for Alabama. The major-college record for consecutive seasons with double-digit victories is 14, set by Florida State from 1987 through 2000. Alabama most recently failed to win 10 games in a season in 2007, when the Crimson Tide went 7-6.
13 SEC Championship games have featured Alabama. The Crimson Tide will be the Western Division’s representative in the 2021 title game if it wins on Saturday. Alabama won the SEC Championship Game in 1992, 1999, 2009, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018 and 2020 and lost in the title contest in 1993, 1994, 1996 and 2008.
14 Consecutive victories for Alabama against Arkansas. The Razorbacks most recently defeated the Crimson Tide 24-23 in double overtime in 2006. Alabama leads the series 24-7 on the field (although the official record is 21-8 after a forfeit and two vacated victories imposed by the NCAA). On-the-field, Alabama holds an 11-3 series lead in Tuscaloosa, with eight straight home victories against Arkansas.
16 Consecutive victories against Arkansas have been recorded by teams coached by Nick Saban. Saban is 14-0 against the Razorbacks since coming to Alabama and guided LSU to victories over Arkansas in 2003 and 2004.
21.5 Tackles for loss and 12.5 sacks have been recorded by Alabama LB Will Anderson this season. Both figures are the best in the nation. At an average of 6.0 per game, the Arkansas offense has allowed the most tackles for loss in the SEC in 2021.
22 Victories by at least 25 points against ranked opponents for teams coached by Nick Saban, the most in college football history. Bobby Bowden is second on the list with 20.
30 Consecutive Arkansas games have included at least one reception for WR Treylon Burks. Burks has 51 receptions for 796 yards and eight touchdowns in 2021.
36 Consecutive Alabama games have featured at least 20 points for the Crimson Tide, the longest such streak in SEC history. Alabama has scored 20 or more points in every game since the Tide lost to Clemson 44-16 in the CFP championship game on Jan. 7, 2019. In its 59-3 victory over New Mexico State last week, Alabama broke the SEC record of 35 games in a row established by the Tide between a 9-6 loss to LSU on Nov. 5, 2011, and a 23-17 loss to Ole Miss on Oct. 4, 2014. The major-college record for consecutive 20-point games ended on Sept. 25 in Oklahoma’s 16-13 victory over West Virginia. The Sooners had scored at least 20 points in 69 straight games.
56.6 Percent of Alabama’s third-down snaps have been converted into first downs this season, the best rate in the nation. The Arkansas defense has limited the Razorbacks’ opponents to a conversion rate of 30.5 percent on third down, the best figure in the SEC in 2021.
93 Victories and 43 losses for Alabama coach Nick Saban in games against opponents ranked in the AP Poll. Saban has the most coaching victories against ranked opponents after passing former Penn State coach Joe Paterno, who had an 86-82 record against ranked teams.
180.13 Is the passing-efficiency rating for Alabama QB Bryce Young this season, the best in the nation for any player with at least 160 passes. Young has completed 232-of-327 passes for 3,025 yards with 33 TDs and three interceptions. The rating is derived through an equation that uses the rate of completions, touchdowns and interceptions and the average gain per pass.
278 Games have been played by Alabama since it was most recently shut out, a school record and the fourth-longest scoring streak in SEC history. Alabama’s most recent shutout loss came 9-0 to Auburn on Nov. 18, 2000.
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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.
