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It’s been over a decade since Arkansas and Texas met in the regular season. The only time they’ve met since September 27, 2008, was in the 2014 Texas Bowl. That’ll change on Saturday night when these two squads lock horns. The Razorbacks will face a ranked Longhorns team coming off a victory over Louisiana. Arkansas, meanwhile, passed their first test of the season last week against Rice. If the Hogs are as pesky as they were a year ago at times, they could make life hellish for Texas in Fayetteville.
How to watch Arkansas vs. Texas
Time: 7 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN
Watch Online: ESPN App
Betting Odds
(from DraftKings Sportsbook)
Spread: Texas -7 | Arkansas +7
Moneyline: Texas -265 | Arkansas +215
Total: 56.5
Texas will have the talent advantage in this game. What will be interesting is if they decide to pass the ball around a bit more. In their win over Louisiana, while quarterback Hudson Card had three total touchdowns, they were heavily leaning run. Bijan Robinson, a very talented back, gained over 100 yards on the ground. The Razorbacks snuffed Rice out on the ground, elsewhere. But obviously, there’s a stark difference between Rice and Texas. They will have to do their damnedest to keep him from doing damage.
It will be an uphill battle for them though. Lead linebacker Bumper Pool will miss the first half due to a targeting penalty he committed against Rice. Linebacker Grant Morgan also will miss the first half for the very same reason. Defensive coordinator Barry Odom will have to do his best while playing shorthanded for the first 30 minutes. They will probably end up playing in their usual 3-3-5 defense, so it will prove interesting to see how Texas attacks.
On the flipside, KJ Jefferson will have an opportunity to succeed as well. The Arkansas quarterback played very well against Rice, especially in the second half. He gained quite a lot of yards on the ground and even averaged a robust 8.25 yards after contact (per Action Network). His versatility adds another dimension to the offense, and another part of the equation for Texas to try and corral.
Texas is a 7-point favorite here. A touchdown favorite on the road is pretty wild, but more than likely justified. I think, though, that Arkansas will keep this close for a bit. I don’t think that many points will be scored in this game though. While Morgan and Pool are out for the first half, I don’t think Texas is a juggernaut offensively. I definitely think the same for Arkansas, so this could well be a low-scoring affair.