No. 3 Texas walked out of Fayetteville with a 20-10 victory over the Razorbacks on Saturday afternoon. The Razorbacks gave a valent effort on defense, but for most of the game, the offense was no where to be found.
Here's the Good, Bad, and Ugly from Arkansas' fifth loss of 2024:
Arkansas football vs Texas: The Good, Bad, and Ugly
The Good: Arkansas' defense bounced back
After giving up 34 points to LSU and 63 points to Ole Miss, all of the hype surrounding Arkansas' defense was suspended for the last two weeks. However, Travis Williams' group stepped up on Saturday afternoon, keeping Arkansas in the game throughout. The Hogs held one of the most explosive offenses in the country to just 20 points and 315 total yards, and Quinn Ewers looked discombobulated for a large portion of the contest.
Ewers only threw for 176 yards, and the only time the Razorbacks ever seemed to hand Texas yardage was in the fourth quarter when the defense was gassed. There's certainly hope that Arkansas' defense can finish off the year strong. The Hogs should be fine against Louisiana Tech, but Missouri will be another crucial test for a defensive unit that's been up and down this season.
The Bad: Taylen Green's decision making
Let me lead with this: Green's overall impact on Arkansas this year has been largely positive. On Saturday, he made several impressive throws and was able to pick up a couple of first downs with his legs. However, he also held on to the ball too long on several occasions, and made the wrong read on a few read-option plays.
Green can make magic out of thin air, but he's a Jekyll-and-Hyde quarterback who can also make rash decisions that impact the outcome of the game. Just as he did against Ole Miss, Green put the football in danger, and was probably lucky to have only thrown one interception (which was not Green's fault). If Green returns to Arkansas for his senior season, his decision making - especially when he's under duress - must improve tenfold.
The Ugly: Arkansas' offensive line, wide receivers
Taylen Green was sacked six times on Saturday. Tyrone Broden let a pass slip right through his hands, which led to a Texas interception. CJ Brown fumbled with Arkansas driving while down 10 points. All of those mistakes are unacceptable every week, but especially when you're playing a team as goof as Texas. Teams like the Longhorns are opportunistic and can overcome a poor effort of their own if their opponent gives them the opportunity, which is exactly what Arkansas did on Saturday.
Green was under pressure all afternoon, and the aforementioned mistakes by Arkansas receivers completely changed the outlook of the game. Arkansas' offensive line seems to be largely porous for the second year and a row, and the clutch gene remains missing from Arkansas' skill players. Those simply aren't assets you can beat Texas without, and they proved to be the difference in Saturday's game.