Although the team lost to Liberty last week, Arkansas is no pushover. Vegas odd makers have LSU as a favorite by only three points, and they could have good reason to do so. Not only has the Battle for the Golden Boot been seen as a trap game in the past for LSU, but the Razorbacks have one of the best offenses in the country due to its running attack. Arkansas has the 10^th best rushing offense in the country, and it shows week after week. The team averages 234.4 yards a game. On the passing side of things, the Razorbacks typically collect over 250 yards per game. Here’s a look at their personnel, their philosophies and three keys to keep the Razorbacks from running hog wild.
Personnel
Returning starting quarterback KJ Jefferson is the architect for the Razorbacks. So far on the season, he has thrown for 1,984 yards, 17 touchdowns and just three interceptions. The redshirt junior has completed 66% of his passes and has a quarterback rating of 164.2. Jefferson is currently one of seven quarterbacks to throw for over 1,900 yards and rush for over 400 yards this year.
Arkansas has one of the best running backs in the country. Raheim “Rocket” Sanders is the Razorbacks’ leading rusher, running for 1,101 yards with seven scores on the ground. Sanders currently leads the SEC in rushing yards. As of now, he’s one of two running backs in college football with 1,000 rushing yards and 200 receiving yards.
Arkansas’ solid offensive line is one of the reasons that Sanders is having such a breakout season. Having a strong offensive line is crucial to compete in the SEC, something that is no secret to Arkansas. Head coach Sam Pittman spent a good bit of his career as the offensive line coach at the University of Georgia and his knowledge fuels Arkansas’ offense. The Razorbacks’ offensive line consists of All-SEC linemen Ricky Stromberg at center and Brady Latham at left guard.
Arkansas also has a talented receiving corp. Their leading receiver is Matt Landers, who transferred in from Toledo this year. Landers has 594 yards from 35 catches and has hauled in three touchdowns. Jadon Haselwood is a nice option as well at receiver. The Oklahoma transfer has had 553 yards from 44 catches and three touchdowns. Tight end Trey Knox leads the team in receiving touchdowns with five on the season. 
Philosophy
Under Pittman, a strong point for the Razorbacks over the last three seasons has been their ability to run the ball. Pittman, who was one of the best offensive line coaches in the country before taking the Arkansas job, has prioritized a physical running game.
Arkansas offensive coordinator Kendal Briles is the son of former Baylor head coach Art Briles, who is one of the biggest innovators in the history of college football. Briles’ style of play has influenced coaches such as Tennessee’s Josh Heupel and University of Mississippi head coach Lane Kiffin.
Briles has continued to run his father’s offense which often utilizes wide splits. A wide split formation is when the receivers are lined up outside of the hashes and outside of the numbers. Wide splits allow the middle of the field to open for passing and running lanes. It forces linebackers to move farther away from the play. 
Wide splits also allow for easier screen plays as the field is much more open. Due to the Razorbacks’ extensive use of 11 personnel, their zone run and pulling guard schemes are much more successful. 
Another major component of Arkansas’ offense is its run and shoot passing game. Many of the Razorbacks’ offensive concepts come from the “veer and shoot,” a version of the run and shoot that Briles’ father ran from his time at both Houston and Baylor. The run and shoot is different from most passing concepts because the routes that are run by the receivers are not pre-determined. On any given play, several receivers will be given a set of routes to choose from. From there, the receiver will run their route depending on what the defense gives them.
The veer and shoot offense allow Arkansas to make big plays for 20+ yards. Add in the fact that Arkansas runs tempo, and the Razorbacks will have any team gasping for air after every play.
Three Keys to Slow Down Arkansas
1. Stuff the run
LSU must stuff the run. No matter how much they are up or down, the Razorbacks will want to run the ball. If LSU’s defense can slow down Sanders, it will make Arkansas one-dimensional. With the way LSU’s front seven has played the past two games, there is no reason why this task should be impossible.
2. No big plays
LSU needs to limit the number of big plays they give up. LSU has really struggled with allowing big play for most of the year. However, against Ole Miss and Alabama, it was able to limit the number of big plays given up. Both the Rebels and Crimson Tide had to have long, sustained drives to score against the daunted Tigers’ defense. If LSU’s defense can continue this trend, the Razorbacks’ up-tempo, no huddle offense will have a hard time trying to outpace LSU.
3. Contain KJ Jefferson
LSU must contain KJ Jefferson. Similar to Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson, Jefferson is a big body who has the ability to run the ball. Standing at 6-foot-3 and 240 pounds, his athleticism and size make tackling him out in space difficult. If LSU can keep Jefferson in the pocket, it will be a long day for the Razorbacks.