If you watch ESPN, the SEC Network or listen to any football analyst, it’s clear no one thinks Arkansas has a shot at winning against Auburn in Jordan-Hare Stadium on Saturday.

But ask Arkansas head coach Bret Bielema what he thinks and you’ll hear a completely different story.

“We’re confident in what we’re doing and a lot of people are talking about what we’re not going to do,” Bielema said after Thursday’s practice.

And there’s reason to be excited about this season in Fayetteville. The Razorbacks’ starting quarterback Brandon Allen is finally healthy again. Their trio of running backs is the most underrated in the conference. Defense was a weakness last season, but with another year of experience and a defensive line featuring the likes of Trey Flowers, Darius Philon and Deatrich Wise Jr., there’s no reason why they can’t be a middle-of-the-conference defense in 2014.

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“You’re going to see a defense that is a lot more aggressive. I don’t mean aggressive by the number of blitzes called, I’m talking about the way they play,” Bielema said.

Bielema believes fans will see a defense that’s more on the same page, thanks to the added experience from last season.

“They’re communicating very well before the snap, the formations they play, they know what they are supposed to do and they are playing very angry,” he added.

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Where Arkansas could possibly falter is if they try to do too much. In a hostile environment like Jordan-Hare against the defending SEC champions, a younger team like Arkansas can easily get overwhelmed. Bielema announced on Monday the Razorbacks would feature as many as twelve freshman against Auburn.

“I’m excited about [the freshman class], as opposed to a year ago when we were trying to find guys to plug into holes,” Bielema said, “now some of the younger guys are beating out the older guys or vice versa, so it’s exciting to watch.”

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“The only thing you can control is the controllables,” he added.

For this Arkansas’ team, they don’t get the luxury of tune-up games. They’ll be thrown right into the fire of the SEC, meaning the country will know quickly what they can expect out of Fayetteville in 2014.

“Next Saturday, we’ve got the whole world to show what we’re about,” Bielema said.

Until Saturday though, the Hogs will continue to have questions asked about if they can rise to the challenge of defeating Auburn.

But never will anyone question the confidence of a certain head coach and his football team to do what others say they can’t.

“When I walk in the room, I feel bad for the other guy. I think that’s how you have to act as a person,” Bielema explained. “For us at Arkansas, we have to think about what we’re going to do and concentrate on that.”