Arkansas this week has the unenviable task of trying to slow down the red-hot Mississippi State offense when the teams meet in Starkville.

Coach Sam Pittman said the key is to prevent the short passes from becoming big plays. With 623 yards against LSU last week, Mississippi State is ranked No. 1 in the country in passing offense. For Barry Odom and the Arkansas defense, it’s quite a turnaround from facing Georgia’s offense last week.

Mississippi State has two of the top four receivers in the SEC with Osirus Mitchell and Kylin Hill, a running back.

“Well, I mean, you had to get them on the ground, I think they’ll take some underneath throws and they’ll take whatever you give them basically and, you know you have to tackle them,” Pittman said on the SEC coaches media teleconference on Wednesday. “I don’t know that you can contest every throw and things of that nature because they’ll run some rub routes and different things of that nature and get guys open but once they get guys open, we had to get them on the ground we have to disrupt the quarterback.”

The teams will meet at 6:30 p.m. local time on the SEC Network.