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

Back to SEC action, Arkansas will host Vanderbilt for a potential bowl-clinching contest. If Arkansas can take care of the Commodores at home, it won’t have worry about stealing one against LSU the next week or one on the road in the final two games of the year. The final three-game stretch won’t be easy, and the Razorbacks know it.

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Luckily for Arkansas, the Commodores are as close to a sure-win as you’re going to find in the SEC. That doesn’t mean this is a guaranteed victory, but playing Vanderbilt at home is a strong advantage.

Vanderbilt does, however, return starting quarterback Kyle Shurmur who passed for 2,800 yards and 26 touchdowns last season. He’s going to be a problem for the Arkansas defense, especially if he continues to progress. He and Cole Kelley will have a nice back-and-forth battle.

The Commodores have a decent secondary, but they lose a starting corner and safety from a year ago, so having the nation’s 26th-best defensive backfield, statistically, isn’t likely to happen again.

Devwah Whaley will put the team on his back and break off two long runs in the second half to put the Commodores away and send the Razorbacks back to a bowl game. Give this kid the game ball.

Final Score: Vanderbilt 23, Arkansas 34 (6-3, 2-3 SEC)