An old rivalry will be rekindled on Saturday when Texas visits Arkansas. The Longhorns and Razorbacks were fierce foes in the Southwest Conference until the Razorbacks’ departure in 1991. Now the yearly rivalry is back, thanks to the SEC’s latest round of conference realignment.
At stake for Texas is its goal of reaching the College Football Playoff and winning the SEC title in its first year in the conference. The Longhorns sit at No. 3 in the latest CFP Rankings, but their résumé is not strong. They lack a top-25 win and own a double-digit loss to No. 12 Georgia at home, so there’s little room for error down the stretch. Meanwhile, Arkansas is fighting for bowl eligibility and has a history as a giant killer. The Razorbacks already handed then-No. 4 Tennessee their only loss on the year.
The Longhorns are one of eight teams still alive for a spot in the SEC Championship Game, and a win against a bowl-bound team like Arkansas on the road will solidify their CFP résumé and give them more momentum heading into the regular-season finale against Texas A&M.
Texas vs. Arkansas: Need to know
Quinn Ewers looks better than ever: Ewers splashed back on the national scene last week with a career-high five touchdown passes in the Longhorns’ 49-17 victory over Florida. It was the first time since his mid-October abdominal injury in that he looked like one of the nation’s best quarterbacks. He has scored at least twice in all seven starts this season but had thrown four interceptions in the three games before his performance last week. A mistake-free Ewers is precisely what the Horns need down the stretch.
Hogs are struggling at home: Most remember Arkansas this season for its 19-14 win against Tennessee, but since then, the Hogs have struggled at Razorback Stadium. LSU blew them out 34-10 and Ole Miss followed it up two weeks ago with a record-breaking 63-31 victory. Is there a common thread here for Texas to study? Look no further than the Razorbacks’ weakness in the secondary, which is slow in pursuit and has committed too many mistakes against faster and stronger receivers beyond the first-down marker. If you want to suck the energy out of the raucous home crowd, throw deep early and often. Texas’ passing efficiency ranks ninth nationally; Arkansas’ pass efficiency on defense is 116th.
Texas needs style points: Texas is sitting pretty at No. 3 in the CFP Rankings, but with only one guaranteed game against a ranked opponent on the schedule (Texas A&M), the Longhorns need to win with style to help their seeding. Many experts have questioned their high ranking, but one metric that might be helping them is style points. The Longhorns have beaten seven opponents by more than 19 points, tying No. 1 Oregon for the most such wins this season. To stay at No. 3, the Longhorns might need to beat every remaining opponent on the schedule by double digits.
Arkansas’ offense can be explosive: Arkansas ranks in the top five nationally in total offense but struggles to finish drives, and quarterback Taylen Green has proven to be the ultimate wild card. When he’s clicking, the Hogs are unstoppable, but he’s also prone to turnovers. The Hogs were in a one-possession battle with LSU earlier this season before he was picked off in the shadow of his own end zone for a touchdown. His numbers are solid, particularly in the last four games (72% passing) and his feet extend plays, but defenses have been much better at corralling him and forcing turnovers since his near-perfect performance against Tennessee earlier this season.
How to watch Texas vs. Arkansas live
Date: Saturday, Nov. 16 | Time: 12 p.m. ET
Location: Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium – Fayetteville, Arkansas
TV: ABC | Live stream: fubo (Try for free)
Texas vs. Arkansas prediction, picks
Arkansas has struggled to maintain momentum after that early-season upset of Tennessee, losing back-to-back home games by 24 or more points to ranked teams. The Hogs’ offense can move the ball (483.6 ypg, No. 5 in nation) but struggles to finish drives (81st in red zone). The defense has been a mess in the secondary; they were picked apart in a record-breaking performance by Ole Miss two weeks ago to the tune of 515 yards and six touchdowns. Outside of Tennessee, this will be the best defense Arkansas has faced. The Longhorns have forced three or more turnovers in three straight games, and considering Hogs quarterback Taylen Green’s carelessness with the ball, the Horns will score at least once off a turnover. The betting line seems a little low here. Pick: Texas -13
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