Three reasons why Arkansas football beats Texas

Since leaving the Southwest Conference, rivalries haven’t had the punch they used to. Arkansas and LSU have had some fun games, but Tiger fans have never really cared about the Razorbacks. The SEC foisted Mizzou on Arkansas, but like LSU fans, Hog fans cared very little for the team in Columbia. However, this year, the rivalries hit a little different.

Oklahoma and Texas joined the SEC this season, and with them, brought a potential to rekindle one of the most underrated rivalries in college football. Since moving to the SEC, Arkansas has largely dominated the series between the Longhorns and the Hogs, going 4-2 since 1992.

In 2021, the SEC announced Texas’ intentions to move to the conference, and Arkansas welcomed them the best way possible, with a 40 to 21 victory in Fayetteville. That Longhorn team is a distant memory. Texas comes into Fayetteville as the No. 3 team in the country, while Arkansas has struggled all season long. If the Razorbacks are going to start their new conference series with a win, here’s why it’ll happen:

Three Reasons why Arkansas football beats Texas

Texas’ Charman-soft schedule

Yes, Texas has scratched its way to the top of the national rankings, but it’s done so with one of the easiest schedules in the SEC, if not the country. 

The Longhorns started conference play with Mississippi State and Oklahoma. Those teams are some of the worst in the league. They combine for a 1-11 SEC record, with the Sooners having one of the worst offenses in the country and the Bulldogs having one of the worst defenses in the country.

Texas has played two mid-tier teams: Florida and Vanderbilt. It made light work of the Gators, beating them 49-17 in Austin (which just so happened to be the game right before Texas plays Arkansas). Vandy, on the other hand, gave the Longhorns all they wanted and more.

Georgia is the only elite team that Texas has faced all season long, and the Bulldogs weren’t very kind. The game wasn’t even as close as the score indicated, with Georgia winning 30 to 15. Texas was held scoreless in the first half and the fourth quarter, scoring all of its points in the third. 

The point is we really don’t know how good Texas is, but they’ve shown that they’re not the super team people thought they’d be at the beginning of the season. Don’t be surprised if it’s still a game going into the fourth quarter on Saturday.

Next: The bye week

Bye week preparation

The last time Arkansas came off a bye week, the outcome wasn't what we'd hoped for. LSU exposed the Hogs in Fayetteville for the first time this season. The key difference is how the week before the bye played out.

Earlier in the season, Arkansas knocked off a top-10 Tennessee team, and the Hogs were feeling themselves pretty good. And to be fair, all Razorback fans were. Not much looked like it needed to change. However, LSU proved them wrong. Fast forward a few weeks, and the Razorbacks were, yet again, embarrassed at home by Ole Miss. This time, the coaching staff should know the problems with this team — especially in the secondary — and fix them during the off week.

The Hogs have also limped into the second bye week, with multiple players injured. Arkansas has been without its star running back, Ja'Quinden Jackson, since midway through the LSU game but should be back Saturday. Quarterback Taylen Green has also been dealing with a nagging injury. Hopefully, this week has given him enough rest, as well.

Most importantly, the bye has given the team an extra week to prepare. Texas has only played one team coming off a bye week, and that team was Oklahoma. Sure, the Longhorns destroyed them in the Red River Rivalry, but Texas also had a bye week to prepare for Oklahoma. This time, it's only Arkansas with the advantage.

Next: Rivalry renewed

A rivalry renewed

One of the things that make college sports so entertaining is the rivalries. It doesn't matter who's the better team or the implications of the game, any team can win.

This is the first serious conference rivalry game Arkansas has played since moving to the SEC. It doesn't matter that Arkansas hasn't played well or that Texas is the No. 3 team in the country; all Razorbacks — the team and fans alike — should get up for this game. They certainly did in 2021 after a historically bad stretch for Arkansas. Why wouldn't they do it now when the rivalry is starting anew?

Speaking about that 2021 game, the fans were 100 percent a reason the Hogs dominated the match. When Raheim Sanders scored his touchdown in the third quarter, it was one of the loudest the stadium has ever been. When the Longhorns take the field Saturday, they can expect the same environment.

But in any good rivalry, it takes two to tango. Luckily for Arkansas, the Longhorns seemed to have taken the rivalry in stride.

LSU and Arkansas have been "rivals," but the Tigers don't show up like it is. The emotions accompanying a rivalry game can be just as detrimental to the "better" team as beneficial to the "lesser" team. Simply put, emotions can cause teams to do things they don't normally do. For the teams with not a lot to lose, it's a great way to surprise the opponent. However, for the other team, the gamble is hardly worth it.