NWADG College Football

30 NWA COLLEGE FOOTBALL PREVIEW | 9.20.2020 GAME 6 TENNESSEE DATE Nov. 7 PLACE Reynolds Razorback Stadium, Fayetteville 2019 RECORD 8-5, 3-5 SEC COACH Jeremy Pruitt (13-12 in two seasons at Tennessee) RETURNING STARTERS 3 offense, 6 defense KEY PLAYERS QB Jarrett Guarantano, WR Josh Palmer, linebacker Henry To'o To'o, CB Shawn Shamburger, 2020 SCHEDULE Sept. 26 ...............................at South Carolina Oct. 3 ................................................ Missouri Oct. 10 ............................................at Georgia Oct. 17 ............................................. Kentucky Oct. 24 .............................................. Alabama Nov. 7 ............................................at Arkansas Nov. 14 .......................................... Texas A&M Nov. 21 ............................................ at Auburn Nov. 28 ........................................ at Vanderbilt Dec. 5 ................................................... Florida OUTLOOK Jeremy Pruitt looked like he might have a short stay as the Vols' coach when they lost at home to Georgia State and BYU to open last season. That dropped Pruitt's record at Tennessee to 5-9. But the Vols rallied to finish 8-5, including a Taxpayer Bowl victory over Indiana. Pruitt, who previously was defensive coordinator at Georgia and Alabama, has added some impressive recruits to raise the roster's talent level. He also has an experienced quarterback in Guarantano, who has 25 career starts. The Vols are playing at Arkansas for the first time since 2011 when Joe Adams had an electrifying punt return for a touchdown in the Razorbacks' 49-7 victory. GAME 7 FLORIDA DATE Nov. 14 PLACE Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, Gainesville, Fla. 2019 RECORD 11-2, 6-2 SEC COACH Dan Mullen (21-5 in two seasons at Florida, 90-51 overall in 11 seasons) RETURNING STARTERS 6 offense, 3 defense KEY PLAYERS QB Kyle Trask, WR Trevon Grimes, DE Zachary Carter, LB Ventrell Miller 2020 SCHEDULE Sept. 26 ........................................ at Ole Miss Oct. 3 .......................................South Carolina Oct. 10 ...................................... at Texas A&M Oct. 17 ..................................................... LSU Oct. 24 .............................................. Missouri Nov. 7 ............... vs Georgia (Jacksonville, Fla.) Nov. 14 ............................................. Arkansas Nov. 21 ........................................ at Vanderbilt Nov. 28 ............................................. Kentucky Dec. 5 at ..........................................Tennessee OUTLOOK Arkansas is playing at Florida for the first time since 2013 when the Gators won 30-10, but Razorbacks quarterback Feleipe Franks will be in familiar surroundings in the Swamp. Franks is a senior graduate who transferred to Arkansas from Florida. He made 24 starts for the Gators, including all 13 in 2018 when they were 10-3. Last season Franks suffered a season-ending ankle injury in the third game, and Kyle Trask played so well as his replacement that Franks decided to transfer. Trask and the Gators should be good on offense with six starters back. The defense has some starters to replace, but Florida is expected challenge Georgia for the SEC East title. Maybe this will be Coach Dan Mullen's time to get to Atlanta for the SEC Championship Game. GAME 8 LSU DATE Nov. 14 PLACE Reynolds Razorback Stadium, Fayetteville 2019 RECORD 15-0, 8-0 SEC COACH Ed Orgeron (40-9 in four seasons at LSU, 56-36 overall in eight seasons) RETURNING STARTERS 2 offense, 3 defense KEY PLAYERS CB Derek Stingley Jr., QB Myles Brennan, FS JaCoby Stevens, WR Terrace Marshall 2020 SCHEDULE Sept. 26 ............................... Mississippi State Oct. 3 .......................................... at Vanderbilt Oct. 10 .............................................. Missouri Oct. 17 ............................................. at Florida Oct. 24 .....................................South Carolina Oct. 31 ............................................ at Auburn Nov. 14 .............................................. Alabama Nov. 21 ..........................................at Arkansas Nov. 2 ........................................ at Texas A&M Dec. 5 ................................................ Ole Miss OUTLOOK Last one to opt out of the season for LSU turn out the lights at Tiger Stadium. Well, it's not quite that dire, but three starters have opted out of the season – most notably All-American receiver Ja'Marr Chase – to concentrate on the NFL Draft. That's the downside of having such a talented roster. Guys are pointing to the NFL. The upside of recruiting so well is that even with just five returning starters on offense and defense because 14 players went in the NFL Draft and six others signed free agent deals, the Tigers still have a lot of talent. And they have young players eager to prove themselves. Myles Brennan, a redshirt junior, is ready take over at quarterback and Derek Stingley, a sophomore, may be the best player on defense in the country. GAME 9 MISSOURI DATE Nov. 28 PLACE Faurot Field, Columbia, Mo. 2019 RECORD 6-6, 3-5 SEC COACH Eliah Drinkwitz (first season at Missouri, 12-1 last season at Appalachian State) RETURNING STARTERS 4 offense, 7 defense KEY PLAYERS RB Robert Rountree, WR Barrett Banister, LB Nick Bolton, DT Akial Byers 2020 SCHEDULE Sept. 26 ............................................ Alabama Oct. 3 ..........................................at Tennessee Oct. 10 ................................................. at LSU Oct. 17 ............................................ Vanderbilt Oct. 24 ............................................. at Florida Oct. 31 ............................................. Kentucky Nov. 14 ................................................Georgia Nov. 21 .................................at South Carolina Nov. 28 ............................................. Arkansas Dec. 5 ............................... at Mississippi State OUTLOOK Eliah Drinkwitz, an Alma native and protege of Auburn Coach Gus Malzahn, landed an SEC job after just one season as a college head coach. But when that season is 12-1 at Appalachian State with road victories against North Carolina and South Carolina, it gets noticed. Drinkwitz was an assistant for Malzahn at Springdale High School in 2005, then was a quality control analyst at Auburn Opponent n Continued from Page 28 AP Photo/Jeff Roberson Missouri head coach Eliah Drinkwitz points during an NCAA college football practice Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2020, in Columbia, Mo.

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