This offseason, Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian said Arkansas football fans hate Texas more than they love themselves.
After three years of waiting, the Razorbacks faithful will finally get another chance to show off that level of disdain.
Arkansas (5-4, 3-3 SEC) and No. 3 Texas (8-1, 4-1) renew their rivalry Saturday (11 a.m., ABC) inside Reynolds Razorback Stadium. This represents their first matchup with both teams in the SEC and the 80th all-time meeting between the schools. Texas holds a sizable advantage with a 56-23 record in the rivalry, but the Hogs won 40-21 in 2021.
Arkansas is coming off a bye week after getting beat 63-31 by Ole Miss in its last game. The Longhorns are coming off a 42-17 win over Florida and remain right in the thick of the College Football Playoff race.
Here are four things to watch and a score prediction for Saturday’s contest between Arkansas football and Texas.
Arkansas football must pressure Quinn Ewers
This is easier said than done. The Longhorns have a terrific offensive line with multiple NFL draft prospects. Ewers is a veteran quarterback who knows how to get the ball out quickly and maneuver in the pocket.
But it’s a non-negotiable for Arkansas. The secondary isn’t good enough to hold up against the Texas wide receivers without the defensive line causing havoc.
The Longhorns give up just two sacks per game, but Georgia got to the quarterback seven times in Texas’ lone loss of the season. Matching that production will be difficult, but Landon Jackson and the rest of the defensive line need to make life easier on the back end.
Can the Hogs win the turnover battle?
Taking care of the ball is a premium focus for Arkansas every week. The Razorbacks are 5-0 when they win or split the turnover battle, and they are 0-3 when their opponent records more takeaways.
The Longhorns rank 29th in the country with a turnover margin of plus-5, while Arkansas is 88th at minus-3. A strip-sack recovered in the end zone for a touchdown put the Hogs in a hole against Ole Miss two weeks ago.
Which team can limit explosive plays?
Arkansas is fifth in the nation with 60 plays of more than 20 yards this season. Texas is even better with 69 such plays.
Both offenses like to jumpstart drives with big plays. The Longhorns’ top wide receivers — Matthew Golden and Isaiah Bond — are going to be critical matchups for Arkansas.
Arkansas can’t let Texas get a two-score lead
The Razorback’s past three home games have all come against top-ranked teams in the SEC. They began that stretch with a 19-14 upset victory over Tennessee before two blowout losses to LSU and Ole Miss.
Against the Volunteers, Arkansas led throughout the entire first half and never trailed by more than one score. That kept the belief on the sideline and in the stands, paving the way for arguably the signature win of Sam Pittman’s career.
The Tigers and Rebels both jumped out to two-score leads early in the first half, and Arkansas never recovered. The Razorbacks must stay within striking distance and prevent another late-season slip on defense.
Prediction
Arkansas has had two weeks to get ready for its biggest game of the season, and while the Hogs should improve from the loss to Ole Miss, it won’t be enough against the Longhorns. Texas has the veteran quarterback and physical strength up front that have given the Hogs’ fits all season. Sacks and turnovers could prove costly for Arkansas. Texas 38, Arkansas 28.
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Publish date : 2024-11-13 21:01:00
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Author : theamericannews
Publish date : 2024-11-22 07:31:30
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