Hog Notes headed into Game Week

[HornSports Staff]

The Texas Longhorns will head north to Fayetteville, Arkansas this week for their first true road game of the season when they take on the Arkansas Razorbacks.  Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium has a sold-out crowd for the first time since the 2017 season, and the Longhorns will play in front of a hungry, hostile crowd in a primetime matchup that will be televised on ESPN.

Texas improved its record to 1-0 with an season-opening 38-18 home win over a ranked Louisiana team. 

Arkansas defeated former Southwest Conference foe Rice 38-17 in Fayetteville to give Sam Pittman's team a 1-0 start.

HornSports will have more on the matchup as the week progresses, but here are a few notes to get Game Week started.

Notes:

• The Razorbacks will host Texas in Fayetteville for the first time since 2004
  
• Texas and Arkansas will meet for the 79th time in the historic rivalry that dates back to 1894
  
• Texas owns a 56-22 lead in the series and has won 21 of the last 30 meetings
  
• Arkansas has won four of the last six games
  
• Last meeting between these two teams: Arkansas defeated Texas 31-7 at the 2014 Texas Bowl on Dec. 29, 2014 at NRG Stadium in Houston
  
• Hogs quarterback KJ Jefferson (sophmore) is 6'3" and weighs 245 lbs.  He threw for 128 yards, 1 TD and 1 INT in the win over the Owls last Saturday, and also rushed for 89 yards and 2 TD's.  Texas will have to contend with a big, mobile quarterback
  
• Despite Arkansas being unranked, the Longhorns could be in for a close game.  The 'Horns and Hogs have played 33 games decided by 10 points or less, and 6 of the last 12 games have been decided by 4 points or fewer
  
• Arkansas RB Trelon Smith, an Arizona State transfer and the Hogs’ leading rusher last season, ran for 102 yards and a touchdown against Rice.  Smith has scored six rushing touchdowns in his last five games and averaged 97.8 rushing yards in those five games
  
• Wide Receiver Treylon Burks is an athletic, speedy wideout that has receptions in 21 straight games.  He will likely be Jefferson's top-target on Saturday
  
• Mansfield Legacy (Mansfield, TX) product and defensive back Jalen Catalon, registered 11 stops and two interceptions against Rice last weekend. He is the only player in the country to have 10+ tackles and two interceptions in a game this season
  

Depth Chart for the Longhorns:



Arkansas Head Coach Sam Pittman on Texas:

 

[Sirhornsalot]

102 yards and a TD is not that impressive against a Rice defense.

Bijan against a Rice defense – 200+ yards. Many TDs.

 

[Jameson McCausland]

Mansfield Legacy (Mansfield, TX) product and defensive back Jalen Catalon, registered 11 stops and two interceptions against Rice last weekend. He is the only player in the country to have 10+ tackles and two interceptions in a game this season

Catalon is someone Texas wanted badly a few cycles ago. Outside of Bijan, he might be the best player on the field Saturday.

 

[TB14]

Still can't believe we lost Catalon to Arkansas...

 

[TB14]

Arkansas and Rice were tied in the 4th quarter before Arkie pulled away late. Tackling is key to stop their run game. Also our OL will need a better push against a better front 7 imo. Crowd and atmosphere keep this close. Need an early lead and keep the crowd out of it.

 

[Sirhornsalot]

Arkansas and Rice were tied in the 4th quarter before Arkie pulled away late. Tackling is key to stop their run game. Also our OL will need a better push against a better front 7 imo. Crowd and atmosphere keep this close. Need an early lead and keep the crowd out of it.

I'm not sure Arkie's DL is as good as Louisiana's.

 

[Austin Horn]

I have no score prediction for this game. I think it will be a tough game. The question is can Texas play to a standard. Can Sark handle success because that’s something that ate the lunches of the previous two regimes. They couldn’t handle success and lose when they weren’t suppose to. 

 

[Rotty22]

We'll see what Card is made of with his first test in a hostile environment.

I was at that 2014 game and it was embarrassing.