Matching up with SEC West juggernaut University of Arkansas this Saturday, not much is guaranteed for Alcorn State football this week.

But perhaps the game guarantee makes it all worthwhile. According to the Arkansas-Alcorn game contract for this season’s SWAC-SEC matchup, Arkansas will shell out $575,000 to host Alcorn State this weekend.

In other instances, Power 5 programs have included a financial agreement in the game contract against a smaller program. In 2015, University of Georgia’s contract with Southern University guaranteed $650,000 to the Jaguar program. That contract also featured a clause that brought Southern’s band, The Human Jukebox, perform the halftime show.

No such stipulation is included Arkansas’ contract with Alcorn State, but head coach Fred McNair noted on the benefit of a financial guarantee with Power 5 opponents, while emphasizing his focus is on getting paid to win.

“It’s always important financially, and being exposed to the media and all that for the Alcorn State University campus,” McNair said. “The biggest thing is trying to go in and play our brand of football. Playing the whole ballgame instead of one half.”

Nothing has come easy for Alcorn State football this season, and that doesn’t seem to be changing this week.

After a 43-18 loss to Grambling State, the Alcorn State Braves are back on the road Saturday to face SEC opponent Arkansas. Alcorn’s single win this season was the result of a blocked field goal late in the home opener against Alabama State.

Perhaps the Braves biggest deterrent has been injuries. Starting quarterback Lenorris Footman entered Saturday against Grambling after Noah Johnson started the second half. Running back Marquis Warford tallied just two carries for negative yardage in the game.

McNair said he expects his gritty players to suit up and be ready by game time in Arkansas, and he isn’t prepared to announce Noah Johnson as Alcorn’s starter this week.

Johnson, a redshirt freshman, has shown consistency in the Braves’ offense. Last week, Johnson completed 8-of-9 pass attempts. He has yet to throw an interception while completing over 70 percent of his passes for the season.

However, McNair said it’s the intangible aspects of an experienced quarterback that gives Footman the most value as a starter.

“Noah played the first quarter-and-a-half, and I thought he did pretty good,” McNair said. “Just making those freshman mistakes.

“He knows the mistakes he made, we talked about it yesterday. Hopefully we can just get everybody healthy, get Lenorris healthy and back and make this run.”

The Braves’ defense is still searching for its first interception of the season.

The secondary that allowed the fewest passing yards in the conference last season currently ranks last in the SWAC in terms of yards passing per game with 324.7.

McNair said the lopsided turnover margin can be traced back to the inexperienced secondary.

“We always focus in on getting more interceptions and turnovers, because the margin is kind of one-sided right now when we give up the ball so many times and don’t get enough (interceptions),” McNair said.

Alcorn (1-3, 1-3 SWAC) kicks off against Arkansas at 11 a.m. in Little Rock.