Call it the “Hot Seat Bowl” if you want.

Bret Bielema and Kevin Sumlin have both been the subject of their fair share of criticism in 2017. That’s been a pressing topic of discussion leading up to their matchup on Saturday. The loser of the game won’t be able to avoid that subject in the days that follow, either.

But between the lines, there’s an interesting “prove yourself” battle that will unfold in Jerry World.

Texas A&M freshman quarterback Kellen Mond will face his first SEC defense. And contrary to the unit that was trucked in Dallas last year, Arkansas absolutely has a real defense under first-year defensive coordinator Paul Rhoads.

According to Rhoads, his defense was “good,” but not “great.” That’s what he said after the TCU loss in which it was the defense that kept the Razorbacks within one score in the fourth quarter.

Mond, who will get his third career start and first in SEC play, has seen neither a “good” nor a “great” defense. Sumlin said after he had his first-career multi-touchdown game that the freshman looked more comfortable and assertive. That, of course, was against Louisiana.

Mond will be on his biggest stage yet come Saturday. And undoubtedly, it’ll be his biggest challenge yet.

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To put Mond’s challenge in perspective, consider what the Razorbacks did to TCU quarterback Kenny Hill in Week 2. In 2016, Hill accounted for 470 total yards and three touchdowns against Arkansas. In 2017, Hill barely eclipsed 200 yards and he accounted for zero touchdowns.

Bielema said that Arkansas’ defensive performance was “astronomically” better this year compared to last year vs. TCU. A lot of that has to do with the job his team did containing the dual-threat quarterback.

On Saturday, they’ll be tasked with containing another dual-threat quarterback. Mond’s ability to make plays with his legs is an integral part of his game.

If the Razorbacks get after Mond like they got after Hill, it’ll be a long day for the true freshman. Those UCLA flashbacks will be all too real.

Sumlin wants to do whatever he can to take pressure off his young quarterback. Whenever he was asked about his signal-caller during the SEC Coaches Teleconference, the coach deflected by saying “it’s not all about the quarterback.”

Obviously. But it’s a big part.

Bielema was the one who said what everybody knows to be true.

“It all starts at that position,” Bielema said. “The strengths and weaknesses of that position dictate the flow of the game.”

While Sumlin might not have wanted to put that kind of emphasis on stellar quarterback play from his true freshman, he did point out just how good the Razorbacks have been on defense in their two games.

“I’ve got a ton of respect for Paul Rhoads,” Sumlin said on the SEC Coaches Teleconference. “… All you’ve got to do is look at the number and it’ll tell you all you need to know.”

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Sumlin’s right about that. In a limited sample size, the numbers are good. Arkansas ranks No. 17 in FBS in total defense. He pointed out the fact that the Aggies surrendered just three plays of 20-plus yards, which is best in the SEC.

Meanwhile, the same UCLA defense that dismantled Mond in his debut ranks 121st in total defense after it allowed 560 yards to Memphis.

Yes, Saturday will be a different ballgame for Mond.

While the Razorbacks have been statistically better as a unit on defense, they do have weaknesses. Mond can still follow Hill’s path to victory by picking up key third downs (TCU was 10-for-14 on third-down conversions). As a result, Hill and the TCU offense took advantage of a gassed Razorback defense.

Inevitably, Sumlin will try and keep the game plan as simple as possible. The last thing he wants to see is Mond running for his life against Dre Greenlaw on third and long. Short, quick throws and getting Trayveon Williams going in the running game will likely be the plan of attack for Sumlin.

But Rhoads knows that. So does Bielema, who brought up an interesting point on Arkansas’ defensive game-planning.

“I think this year, the poise and the confidence that our guys play with before the ball is snapped has been really, really good,” Bielema said. “Now, they have to play a little better when the ball is snapped, especially in the fourth quarter. A little bit of an emphasis on tackling and being able to take advantage of the opportunities that come our way.”

On Saturday, the Arkansas defense has a chance to take advantage of its opportunity to play against a true freshman quarterback in his third career start. Mond has an opportunity to show that he’s ready for the big time.

Whoever wins that battle will give their coach a break from the hot-seat talk.

Well, at least for one week.