KJ Jefferson dressed, warming up ahead of Mississippi State matchup

Arkansas quarterback KJ Jefferson is dressed and warming up ahead of the Razorbacks matchup against Mississippi State, according to multiple reports. Jefferson, who is dealing with a head injury, is listed as a game-time decision.

The injury occurred midway through the fourth quarter of Arkansas’ loss against Alabama last week. Jefferson returned briefly and finished out Arkansas’ final scoring drive, but he did not appear in either of the two series following the final field goal make of the game for the Razorbacks, which cut the Crimson Tide lead to 42-26. Instead, reserve quarterback Cade Fortin played in Jefferson’s spot.

UPDATE: Cade Fortin ultimately got the start for Arkansas, rather than Jefferson.

CLICK HERE to subscribe for FREE to the On3 YouTube channel

So far this year Fortin is 4-of-10 passing for 35 yards with no touchdowns and no interceptions. He’s added one carry for nine yards as well, while Malik Hornsby, who was second on the depth chart ahead of last Saturday’s loss, is also available for Arkansas.

Kickoff between the Razorbacks and Bulldogs is set for noon ET live on the SEC Network.

Sam Pittman says Arkansas has ‘us against the world’ mentality

Arkansas is no longer ranked after dropping back-to-back games against Texas A&M and Alabama, but coach Sam Pittman has a mentality he’d like his team to embrace going into a road game at Mississippi State this weekend: Us against the world.

Asked if that was the mindset players should take into the game, Pittman agreed.

“Yeah, I think there’s a little bit to that,” Pittman said. “They’re playing extremely well and favored and all that kind of stuff. So there’s certainly in our realm of how we approach teams that are favored over us, which there’s been a bunch of them since I’ve been here.”

Mississippi State enters Saturday’s game against Arkansas in Starkville, Miss., as a current 7.5-point favorite, according to consensus lines provided by VegasInsider.com.

The Bulldogs are fresh off an impressive dismantling of Texas A&M, with quarterback Will Rogers dissecting the Aggies to the tune of 329 yards and three touchdowns without an interception.

Rogers has been excellent of late, throwing for 738 yards and nine touchdowns without a pick the last two weeks. He’ll be going against an injury-ravaged Arkansas secondary, a position group as banged up as just about any Pittman has been around in his more than 30-year coaching career.

It’ll be a tall task for the Razorbacks.