Auburn (3-4, 1-3 SEC) vs. Arkansas (4-3, 1-3)

When: 11 a.m. CT, Saturday

Where: Jordan-Hare Stadium, Auburn.

TV: SEC Network

Line: Arkansas -3.5

This game will determine…

Whether Auburn has a chance to turn things around this season. The Tigers have dominated the series against the Razorbacks for much of the last decade, and Bryan Harsin’s teams are 9-1 all-time coming off a bye week during his head coaching career. If Auburn is to correct course — and get back to .500 on the year — now is the time for it to happen.

Three things to look for…

1. Can Auburn sustain its success on the ground? Auburn had its best rushing performance of the season its last time out, running for 301 yards, four touchdowns and 6.27 yards per carry in its loss to Ole Miss. It was the Tigers’ best rushing performance against a Power 5 opponent since the 2017 Arkansas game. Now, with an extra week of preparation and rest, it’s time to see if Auburn can keep Tank Bigsby and Jarquez Hunter rolling.

2. How will another turbulent week off the field impact Auburn on it? Auburn saw a slew of players leave the program this week, with four announcing their intent to transfer in recent days: defensive lineman Zykeivous Walker, wide receivers Landen King and Tar’Varish Dawson Jr., and cornerback A.D. Diamond. Are those departures a sign of unrest within the program, or will the Tigers overcome those distractions and show up with purpose Saturday against the Razorbacks?

3. Can Auburn curb its turnover issues? Auburn enters Saturday’s game with the nation’s worst turnover margin (minus-11 on the year). The Tigers have lost the turnover battle in five of their seven games this season, and they’ve committed multiple turnovers in just as many. Avoiding those thrown-away possessions will be crucial for Auburn if it hopes to get back on track coming out of the bye week.

Key matchup

Auburn’s front seven against Arkansas’ run game. The Razorbacks run the ball more than any team outside of the three service academies—Air Force, Army and Navy—and they boast a top-10 rushing attack in the FBS, averaging 240 yards per game and a shade below 5 yards per carry. They also feature the SEC’s leading rusher in Raheim Sanders (124.29 yards per game and seven rushing touchdowns). That’s a tall enough order as is, but it’s compounded by Auburn’s porous run defense, which has given up 740 yards, nine touchdowns and 6.85 yards per carry in the last two games. The Tigers are last in the SEC and 119th nationally in run defense, allowing 204.43 yards per game (and 4.85 yards per carry), and they’ve allowed 19 rushing touchdowns. Against Power 5 opponents, those numbers are worse: 260.6 yards per game and 5.54 yards per carry.

By the numbers

29 — Auburn’s average margin of victory against Arkansas during the Tigers’ six-game winning streak in the series.

Key injuries

Auburn — OL Nick Brahms out (retired), OL Tate Johnson out (elbow), QB Zach Calzada out (shoulder), Edge Eku Leota out (pectoral), RB Jordon Ingram out (knee), WR Landen King out (transfer), WR Tar’Varish Dawson Jr. out (transfer), DL Zykeivous Walker out (transfer), CB A.D. Diamond out (transfer)

Arkansas — QB Kade Renfro out (knee), DB Jalen Catalon out (shoulder).

Arkansas player to watch

KJ Jefferson, quarterback. Since we already touched on running back Raheim Sanders, let’s take a look at Jefferson, the Razorbacks’ 6-foot-3, 242-pound dual-threat quarterback. Jefferson has completed 67.7 percent of his passes this season for 1,463 yards, 14 touchdowns and just one interception while averaging 9.1 yards per pass attempt (which is tied for 12th among all qualifying FBS passers). He has also rushed for 344 yards — the second most among SEC quarterbacks — and four touchdowns.

Tom Green is an Auburn beat reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Tomas_Verde.