After starting the season 3-0 and moving into the top 10 of the AP Poll, Arkansas has lost back-to-back games to Texas A&M and Alabama.

And things won’t get any easier for the Razorbacks on Saturday, as they head to Starkville to face No. 23 Mississippi State.

One of the keys for Arkansas will be the status of KJ Jefferson.

The senior quarterback took a big hit late in the Alabama game and his availability for Saturday’s game with the Bulldogs remains up in the air.

“Our quarterbacks have had a really good week of practice,” said Arkansas coach Sam Pittman during the SEC coaches teleconference Wednesday. “Obviously, KJ hasn’t practiced yet this week. … It’s still wait and see. I don’t know if he’ll practice today, but there’s a chance he will.”

Pittman also wouldn’t tip his hand about what the quarterback situation would look like in Starkville if Jefferson is unable to play. He said the Razorbacks could possibly play two backups, Malik Hornsby and Cade Fortin.

“There’s a real possibility that we would do that,” Pittman said. “Certainly, we would go with a hot hand, I would say. In our game plan, there’s opportunity for both those kids to play if KJ can’t.”

The matchup between the Razorbacks and Bulldogs is set for noon (ET) and will be televised by the SEC Network. Mississippi State is currently a 9.5-point favorite.