Biggest X-Factors in LSU vs. Arkansas

LSU's clash with Arkansas on Saturday can viewed as college football's most exciting rivalry. 

No trophy game in the SEC has been closer than "The Battle of the Golden Boot." Since 2005, the matchup has been decided by an average of 6.2 points per game, per Evin Demirel of SportsSeer.com.

The tradition of thrilling finishes should continue on Saturday.

A rested Arkansas enters Saturday as a slight favorite, per Oddshark.com, despite having yet to win a conference game under Bret Bielema. The Razorbacks will be coming off a bye week and will have a raucous Fayetteville crowd aiding them. 

LSU's heartbreaking defeat against Alabama was a physical brawl in the trenches. Head coach Les Miles will need to have his Tigers prepared for a hungry Hogs team.

Here are three key factors for "The Battle of the Golden Boot." 

Weather

Fayetteville will be brutally cold on Saturday, which could benefit Arkansas in a major way. 

LSU rarely plays or practices below 50 degrees. Temperatures will drop below 30 on Saturday, per Weather.com. Precipitation looked likely earlier in the week, but forecasts now give rain and snow a zero percent chance of happening.

Miles is not all that concerned. 

"The weather is what it is when you get there, and you’re either going to make adjustments in the things that you want to do or you are not,” Miles said, per James Moran of Tiger Rag. "We’re both suited, I would guess, for a game that has the possibility of really bad weather. It might end up being 50 runs a team.”

Nevertheless, the low temperatures favor the Hogs. Bielema has practiced outside in the frigid Fayetteville all this week. 

"I told the team, 'The weather is getting a little closer to maybe what it will be like next Saturday or this Saturday on game time so we will embrace it," Bielema said, per Nate Allen of The Baxter Bulletin. "We went out last night and we will go out Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday and embrace the chill. I looked at LSU, and they don't have that same weather, which could hopefully benefit us." 

Ground Game

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Arkansas running back Alex Collins

Arkansas and LSU are first and second in the SEC in time of possession by a wide margin. This should come as no surprise. 

Bielema and Miles have shown a similar coaching mentality this season. They trust their massive offensive lines to pave the way for gifted running backs. In the process, it bleeds the game clock and shortens the game. 

They do this in part to their mediocre quarterback play. The skill gap between Arkansas' Brandon Allen and LSU's Anthony Jennings and the rest of the quarterbacks in the SEC West is pretty wide. Bielema and Miles want to keep both of their limited signal-callers under 20 passing attempts. 

The Razorbacks' offensive line is the biggest on any level of football. The relatively thin Tigers defensive line—a week after playing Alabama—will have their hands full stopping talented running back duo Alex Collins and Jonathan Williams.

Arkansas' rush defense has been a pleasant surprise. They held Alabama and Mississippi State to season lows in rushing totals. The Tigers' offensive line has been spectacular in the past month, so Miles will need his linemen to continue their elite play. 

The team that is more physical and can establish the line of scrimmage will likely be the victor.

Special Teams

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LSU kicker Colby Delahoussaye (No. 42) and holder Brad Kragthorpe (No. 16)

Arkansas fans cringe when they hear the words "special teams."

The Razorbacks' field-goal kicking has been nothing short of abysmal, as their seven field-goal attempts and four makes are the lowest totals in the SEC. Arkansas missed a field goal that would have put the game away against Texas A&M and had an extra point blocked against Alabama. The Hogs lost that game by one point.

LSU's Colby Delahoussaye has made over 90 percent of his attempts, which puts him second in the SEC. However, Delahoussaye will be kicking in the cold weather for the first time in a Tigers uniform.

LSU punter Jamie Keehn is second in the SEC in punting, while Arkansas' Sam Irwin-Hill is 11th. Irwin-Hill's average has been heavily affected though by the Hogs' inability to generate offense in the opposition's half of the field. 

LSU punt returner Tre'Davious White and Arkansas' D.J. Dean are both in the middle of the pack in average return yardage. Expect both teams to punt at least four times, which will give White and Dean ample opportunities to make plays. 

The biggest advantage Arkansas has on special teams is on kickoff return. Running back Korliss Marshall is back after serving a three game suspension. Marshall has averaged over 30 yards on returns and has also scored a 97-yard touchdown. LSU has only had one kickoff returned past midfield.

Special teams is usually the deciding factor in close, low-scoring affairs. 

Stats, rankings and additional information provided by cfbstats.com, ESPN.com and LSU Sports Information. Recruiting information provided by 247Sports.

Quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Follow me on Twitter @CarterthePower.