Arkansas vs. LSU Prediction: Why the Tigers Will Win

With Bobby Petrino on the sidelines, you always feel Arkansas has a chance to win.

He's proven this in each successive season with the Razorbacks. After a tough 5-7 campaign in Petrino's first season, Arkansas has gone 8-5, 10-3 and now sits at 10-1 and No. 3 in the BCS rankings.

But if Arkansas plans to get its 11th victory this season, the Razorbacks will have to wait until their bowl game.

LSU is just too dominant and too focused to let the dream season slip away. The Tigers are especially dominant on defense, with their backfield of Tyrann Mathieu, Morris Claiborne, Brandon Taylor and Eric Reid.

That group is why LSU ranks second in the nation in points allowed (10.0) and yards allowed (247.9).

That defensive group will be challenged, though, like no other time this season—since West Virginia's Geno Smith torched them for 463 passing yards.

Arkansas will counter with Tyler Wilson and a slew of athletic wide receivers, so LSU will be challenged vertically today. The difference will be how much pressure the Tigers can get on Wilson.

If they hit him and get in his face, it will be interesting to see if Wilson can remain composed. He has in the past, but this is a different defense. The pressure could result in a key turnover.

It will still take a great effort from LSU's defense. Wilson is excellent at running Petrino's complex offense, which probably includes the thickest playbook in the college game.

So the Razorbacks may score more points than LSU is accustomed to giving up, but the Tiger offense is more effective under the leadership of Jordan Jefferson.

Jarrett Lee played well when Jefferson was suspended and was later working his way back into the rotation. But Jefferson has proven to be a better option in big games and he'll put pressure on the Arkansas defense as a dual threat.

While everyone was looking forward to that LSU-Alabama game earlier this month, today's game could actually better live up to the hype.

Prediction: LSU 24, Arkansas 20