Arkansas was very sharp on the football field in its season opener, and quarterback Ryan Mallett was the catalyst in his first start as a Razorback. So just how hot were the Razorbacks on offense in their 48-10 win over Missouri State on Saturday? Well, so hot that they’re rated first nationally in passing yards and near the top in several offensive categories (through Saturday’s games).

When was the last time an Arkansas team was even close to sniffing the top 10 nationally in passing yards per game? Does anyone know? … Anyone?

Bueller?

So don’t be surprised if Mallett is the recipient of an SEC Player of the Week award when the conference makes their announcement later today.

Here’s a breakdown of the Hogs’ offense, with the national ranking in parentheses. Coach Bobby Petrino, who graduated with a degree in math AND physical education at Carroll College in Montana, should love crunching these numbers today.

Let's crunch some numbers.

Even if it was against an FCS school, Petrino looks to be getting back on the path he cultivated as an offensive juggernaut at Louisville and Auburn. As an assistant coach or head coach, Petrino’s offenses have ranked in the top 10 nationally six times in total offense, including twice at No. 1.

We’re not the only ones impressed with Petrino’s offense and the Hogs’ 447 yards through the air Saturday for a single-game school record. Matt Hayes of the Sporting News, who recently predicted eight wins for this season, had this to say Sunday:

Last year at this time, the Hogs needed a second-half comeback to beat I-AA Western Illinois. This time, quarterback Ryan Mallett led an offense that set the school record for passing yards in a game. There will be many more records broken this fall by the SEC’s most underrated team.

Here’s something else to consider: Arkansas plays all of the SEC’s Big Four — Florida, Alabama, LSU, Mississippi — on the road. And they’ll get at least one upset from that group.

And let’s not leave out Willy Robinson’s defense. Three sacks and eight tackles for a loss against the Bears can not be overlooked.

Arkansas’ defense, even if it did have a few missed tackles which led to a Missouri State touchdown in the first half, also showed signs of improvement from a season ago. The Hogs’ D is ranked 21st in total defense nationally after giving up just 205 yards to the Bears on Saturday.

Also, sophomore Dennis Johnson, who returned the opening kickoff 91 yards for a touchdown, is second in the land in yards-per-return with a 57.5-yard average on kickoffs.

Not too shabby.

— Brandon Marcello