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Arkansas Football: Game-by-game predictions for 2018 season

By Connor Muldowney

BATON ROUGE, LA - NOVEMBER 11: Jonathan Nance #7 of the Arkansas Razorbacks avoids a tackle Frank Herron #97 of the LSU Tigers at Tiger Stadium on November 11, 2017 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
BATON ROUGE, LA - NOVEMBER 11: Jonathan Nance #7 of the Arkansas Razorbacks avoids a tackle Frank Herron #97 of the LSU Tigers at Tiger Stadium on November 11, 2017 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images) /
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NEW ORLEANS, LA – DECEMBER 16: Mason Fine #6 of the North Texas Mean Green celebrates a touchdown in the first half against the Troy Trojans during the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on December 16, 2017 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)
NEW ORLEANS, LA – DECEMBER 16: Mason Fine #6 of the North Texas Mean Green celebrates a touchdown in the first half against the Troy Trojans during the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on December 16, 2017 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images) /

Arkansas gets one last breath of fresh air before diving into the SEC regular season schedule to face off against some of the toughest teams in the country. North Texas will travel to Fayetteville on Sept. 15.

Unfortunately, the matchup in Week 3 against North Texas isn’t exactly a walk in the park. The Mean Green made the New Orleans Bowl a season go with a 9-3 regular season record before losing in the C-USA Championship Game to FAU. The Mean Green return Mason Fine at quarterback who could have a big day through the air against this Arkansas secondary — he passed for over 4,000 yards last year.

Related Story. Arkansas' best and worst-case scenario for 2018. light

The Mean Green run game is led now by Nic Smith who had 684 yards and six touchdowns last season and he’ll be in his first year as starter. Arkansas’ run defense will finally shut the ground game down.

As for Coley Kelley, Devwah Whaley and that offense, it will keep pace with North Texas, and then some, thanks to the fact that it ranked 97th nationally in yardage allowed per game and 111th in scoring in 2017. 

North Texas gave up about 35 points per game last season and they’ll do that yet again. This game could be more of a back-and-forth battle than Chad Morris was expecting, but a win is a win.

Final Score: North Texas 34, Arkansas 42 (3-0)

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