TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- Here are five things to watch when No. 1-ranked Alabama (6-0, 3-0 SEC) hosts Arkansas (3-4, 0-3 SEC) on Saturday night.
Stopping the run: It hasn't mattered the score or the situation or even the defensive alignment, Arkansas is going to run the football. And with the tandem of Alex Collins and Jonathan Williams, why not? They're the only two teammates to rank in the top 10 of the SEC in rushing. Collins, just a freshman, is the star. He started the season by becoming the first player in NCAA history to rush for 100 yards or more in his first three career games, and he hasn't looked back since. He leads the SEC in broken tackles (10) and he's in the top 15 nationally in rushing yards (720).
Who starts at corner: Will it be Bradley Sylve or Eddie Jackson starting at cornerback this week for Alabama? Or will it be yet another player to enter the carousel at the position? So far it looks like Sylve -- who started his first game last week against Kentucky and didn't allow any big plays to come his way -- has the advantage. "I think Eddie's struggling with an injury," UA linebacker Trey DePriest said. "Bradley's been filling in [and] handling it well. He's been consistent at it and had a good game last week."
Protecting the quarterback: Arkansas defensive end Chris Smith is one of the best in the SEC. He leads the conference and is seventh in the NCAA with six sacks this season. If he wants to get to AJ McCarron, he'll have to go through either Cyrus Kouandjio or Austin Shepherd to do it, depending on where he lines up. It will likely be Kouandjio, which would provide a great look to NFL scouts who will have their eye on both players for next year's draft. Alabama, for its part, ranks fourth in the league in sacks allowed (7).
A one-two punch: It took a few weeks longer than many expected, but Kenyan Drake has emerged as Alabama's clear No. 2 tailback behind T.J. Yeldon. "I think they compliment each other and both guys have a little different running style," UA coach Nick Saban said. "I think it's a real change of pace that they both present to the defensive players." Drake, a speedy sophomore who tends to go outside the tackle more than Yeldon, has run for 245 yards and three touchdowns in his last three games.
Play action pass: Every time Saban has talked about Arkansas' ability to run the football, he's added that his team must be on the lookout for the play-action pass. "Like Coach Saban says: from guard, to fullback, to opposite guard," safety Vinnie Sunseri explained. "Whichever side of the field you're on, you have to read the triangle." As young as Alabama's secondary is this season, pay attention to the triangle and whether any of the Tide's defensive backs bite on the run fake. If they do, they could make things easy on quarterback Brandon Allen, who does have the arm strength to burn Alabama with the deep pass.