Game To Watch: #15 Texas vs Arkansas: September 11, 2021
Texas travels to Fayetteville where they will take on Arkansas on Saturday at 7:00 EST. The Longhorns had a convincing win against Louisiana week one to open the Steve Sarkisian era on the right foot. Arkansas is also 1 – 0 after a three touchdown win over Rice. This will be a conference game in the future, but is an entertaining non-conference game this year.
Recent History
Texas is 56 -22 against Arkansas all time, though the Razorbacks won the last match-up between the two teams in a 31 -7 blowout in the 2014 Advocare V100 Texas Bowl. Texas’ last win in the series came in 2008 when they pummeled Arkansas 52 – 10 in Austin. These two teams will meet more often when the Longhorns join the SEC and both will want to create momentum in the series on Saturday.
Top 25 Players
Arkansas
| Player | Pos Rank |
|---|---|
| Treylon Burks | #11 WR |
| Grant Morgan | #19 LB |
| Jalen Catalon | #6 S |
Arkansas Razorbacks Gear
What To Watch For…
Bijan Robinson Encore?
Bijan Robinson was expected to have a bigger role in the offense this season and he did not disappoint in week one. Robinson carried the ball 20 times for 103 yards and a touchdown and also caught 4 passes for 73 yards and another touchdown. Robinson was dynamic and his versatility made it difficult for the Louisiana defense to contain him. Texas will be looking for more of the same from Robinson in week two, while Arkansas will look to find a way to contain the explosive play-maker. While Rice does not have a player the caliber of Robinson on defense, the Razorbacks were excellent against the run in week one. They allowed just 81 rushing yards on 2.1 yards per carry and did not allow a running back to catch a pass in the game. They will need to emphasize their run defense and account for #5 in the passing game if they are going to slow down Bijan Robinson on Saturday.
Treylon Burks’ 2021 Breakout Game?
Arkansas’ Treylon Burks emerged as one of the best receivers in college football a year ago. He wasn’t needed as much in the opener against Rice and caught five passes for 42 yards, but will need to be a key part of the offense against Texas. The Razorbacks have a new starting quarterback this year in sophomore KJ Jefferson. He passed for just 121 yards on 6.1 yards per attempt last week and will need his star receiver to help him out in week two. Getting the ball in Burks hands will be a priority for Arkansas and Texas will have to be ready for the star receiver. The Longhorns did a good job of containing a potent Louisiana passing attack in week one, allowing just 7.1 yards per attempt against Levi Lewis and company. They will key on Burks to make it difficult for him to get the football and force Jefferson to find other receivers in the passing game. Burks is an elite talent, he will need to take on the challenges the Texas defense presents and make big plays for the Arkansas offense on Saturday.
Texas’ Defensive Pressure on QB
Texas’s pass rush will also be a key factor in the Longhorn’s ability to stop the Arkansas passing game. They harassed Louisiana’s Levi Lewis throughout last week’s game, tallying four sacks and seven tackles for loss. That ability to pressure the quarterback will make it difficult for Arkansas to develop downfield passing plays and get the ball to Burks. Arkansas will have to rely on their offensive line to step up and block the pressure, or commit extra players to the blocking scheme. The Razorbacks’ offensive line did well in week one allowing just three tackles for loss and 2 sacks in the game. Their ability to hold up against the Texas pass rush will be a deciding factor in the game on Saturday.
Prediction
Sam Pittman is in his second season at Arkansas and his team will want to get a big win against Texas. The Razorbacks’ will be balanced but the gameplan will have new wrinkles in place to throw Texas off. The Longhorns will continue to feature Bijan Robinson as their quarterback gains experience. Arkansas will make Texas play a tight game into the fourth quarter, but the Longhorns have more talent right now and will make enough big plays to win. Texas 34 Arkansas 27.
Alabama at Arkansas 2014, 001.jpg image taken by Brandonrush is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
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