San Jose State at Arkansas NCAA Football Picks 9/21/2019

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium

Josh Love and the San Jose State Spartans go to Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium on Saturday where they'll meet the Arkansas Razorbacks. The odds on this game have Arkansas as 20.5-point favorites. The O/U opens at 59. The Spartans are 0-2-0 ATS and 0-2-0 when betting on the total. The Razorbacks are 1-2-0 when wagering on the over/under and 1-2-0 against the spread.

Key San Jose State Spartans Injuries

No key injuries to report

Key Arkansas Razorbacks Injuries

09/15/19 QB Daulton Hyatt Flu is questionable Saturday vs San Jose State
09/02/19 DL Dorian Gerald Neck is out for season
08/27/19 RB T.J. Hammonds Suspension is out indefinitely
08/20/19 WR Deon Stewart ACL is out for season
08/20/19 WR Jordan Jones Ankle is out indefinitely
08/07/19 OL Noah Gatlin ACL is out for season

In their last outing, the San Jose State Spartans faced the Tulsa Golden Hurricane and lost 34-16. Taking the lead at quarterback for the Spartans was Josh Love who went 16/30 with 189 yards through the air and tossed 1 TD. He finished this contest without throwing a pick. DeJon Packer led the team on the ground in the game. His longest run of the day went for 27 yards but he wasn't able to run one in for a touchdown. He ran for 53 yards on 12 carries which means he ran for an average of 4.4 yards per run. Bailey Gaither was the leader in receiving yardage by earning 68 yards on 5 receptions. He averaged 13.6 yards per reception in the game. The San Jose State Spartans rushed the ball a total of 31 times and totaled 115 yards earning them an average of 3.7 yards per run. For the game, they finished with a total of 68 plays for a total of 348 yards. In the game, the Spartans earned 18 first downs and they had a total of 4 penalties for 35 yards which is telling of how their week of practice went. When it comes to their defensive performance, San Jose State gave up 21 completions on 28 throws for a total of 283 yards, and a completion percentage of 75.0%. For the game, they allowed 539 yards and forced 0 turnovers. Against the run, the Spartans gave up 256 yards on 54 carries which means they allowed 4.7 yards per rushing attempt allowed.

The Spartans head into this matchup 1-1 for this season. For total yardage, they rank 11th in the MWC and 121st in D-1 with 730 yards. In terms of scoring, they are one of the marginal teams in the country with an average of 25.5 points per contest, ranking them 87th in D-1. As a team, they have an average of 136.5 rushing yards per game which is 7th in the Mountain West. The Spartans have one of the average defenses in the nation, allowing 26 points per game which has them at 6th in the MWC. In discussing yards rushing, San Jose State is giving up 183 yards per contest which has them at 11th in the conference and 104th in D-1. They are allowing teams to run for an average of 3.9 yards per rush ranking them 7th in the Mountain West and 64th in D-1 overall. In total, they have allowed 366 yards rushing through 2 contests. When it comes to passing yards, the Spartans have conceded 457 yards. Opponents are completing 65.3% of the passes they throw against them and averaging 6.4 yards per try.

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In the last game they played, the Arkansas Razorbacks took on the Colorado State Rams and earned the win by a score of 55-34. Rakeem Boyd paced the team in rushing in the game. He broke a long run for 59 yards and he tallied 2 touchdowns in the game. He scurried for 122 yards by way of 20 carries which had him averaging 6.1 yards per tote. Treylon Burks was the leader in receiving yardage by earning 92 yards on 4 catches. He averaged 23.0 yards per catch in the game. Running the show from under center for the Razorbacks was Nick Starkel who went 20/35 with 305 yards through the air and threw 3 TD's. He ended the game with no interceptions. The Arkansas Razorbacks ran the ball a total of 35 times and totaled 215 yards which earned them an average of 6.1 yards per rushing attempt. In all, they ran 70 plays for 520 yards. On the day, the Razorbacks got 23 first downs and they had 5 infractions for 49 yards which tells us their heads weren't always in the game. In terms of defense, Arkansas gave up 20 catches on 33 attempts totaling 205 yards, and a completion percentage of 60.6%. For the game, they allowed 425 yards and earned 2 takeaways. Against the run, the Razorbacks gave up 220 yards on 38 carries which gave the opponent an average of 5.8 yards per run allowed.

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The Razorbacks come into this matchup with a record of 2-1. In discussing the offensive production, the Razorbacks have one of the top tier offenses in the country. Arkansas has built a respectable ground game this year by averaging 160 yards on the ground per game, which has them at 74th in Division 1. As a unit, they have compiled a total of 480 rushing yards through 3 contests, so they will want to continue to try to improve on the run game so opponents will have to respect all facets of the game. The Razorbacks average 425.3 yards per contest overall ranking them 56th in D-1 and 10th in the conference. The Razorbacks are giving up 26 points per contest which puts them at 12th in the SEC and 78th in college football. In regard to points given up, they have given up 78 points in total. In terms of yards on the ground, they are conceding 177.3 yards per contest ranking them 95th in D-1 and 13th in the SEC. This year, they have allowed a total of 532 rushing yards and 3.9 rushing TDs. Their passing defense is one of the middle of the road units in college football. They are giving up 202 passing yards per contest. For yards through the air allowed per game, the Razorbacks sit in 7th in the conference.

Who will win tonight's Spartans/Razorbacks college football game against the spread?

Josh's Pick: Take the Spartans +20.5

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