HornSports Staff
HornSports.com
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- Oct 20, 2013
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Alderman – Over the last half of the season Texas was busy fighting to become bowl eligible. Now that they accomplished that goal, the remaining task for The Longhorns is finishing a somewhat subpar season on a high note with a win over Arkansas.
Both teams are very similar across the board. On offense, both teams rely on running the football and controlling the clock. The two teams also have similar defenses that are strong against the run and limit scoring opportunities.
For Texas to win the game, they will need to be able to move the ball with short passes and finally utilize Swoopes' rushing ability. Defensively, the obvious answer is to stop the run.
While I don't feel that Texas should be a 7 point underdog, I think Arkansas has an established offensive identity as opposed to the unreliable rushing attack that The Longhorns have tried to build around. Texas will need its defense to force turnovers against a team that is very good at protecting the ball.
Arkansas 13
Texas 7
Carrara – For Texas to win this game they will need to win the turnover battle and gobble clock as much as possible. The Longhorns keep it close but the Razorback offense gets it done against the Longhorns and leave Houston with a win.
Arkansas 21
Texas 17
Cotcher – When predicting Texas games this season, I have been confident and decisive. Not this week. Honestly, nothing would come as a complete surprise to me – from Texas winning handily, to Arkansas holding on in the fourth quarter to win.
When teams match up as evenly as I think Texas and Arkansas do, games are normally decided by turnovers and special teams. In their 6 wins, Texas gained almost 2.5 turnovers/game. As Lukus mentioned in his breakdown of the Hogs (http://www.hornsports.com/articles/texas-longhorns-football/breaking-down-the-razorbacks-r4412), Arkansas and quarterback Brandon Allen do an excellent job of protecting the football.
I’m going to predict that Texas upsets Arkansas, but realistically I’ll change my mind at least twice before kickoff.
Texas 17
Arkansas 14
Flanagan – I picked Texas to lose their 3 previous games. So I have established that I am not a "homer". Now I am going to throw that reputation out the window and say that not only will the Longhorns win, but will win big.
Yes, the Razorbacks shut out Ole Miss and LSU, but both those games were at home. LSU is known for great offensive players but not great offense so that's not a shocker. Regarding Ole Miss…when Bo Wallace is bad, he's really bad. Essentially, those two games boil down to the fact that Arkansas just got lucky.
Arkansas runs the ball and Texas stops the run. If you stop the run, Arkansas can't do anything else. I expect Vance Bedford and the defense to stop the run and go into the postseason with a huge win.
Texas 35
Arkansas 14
Hopkins – Arkansas is definitely not one of the better teams in the NCAA, but the matchup between the Razorbacks and Longhorns is receiving hype and for good reason. Both teams are expected to play hard, despite ESPN's prediction that Arkansas has a 72% chance of beating Texas.
To win, Texas will need to shed their fear and rely on the leadership of their coaches and teammates to carry them. It will be a good game, and no doubt close. Though Texas has a great opportunity to be a forceful team next year, we will go out on a loss this season.
Arkansas 28
Texas 24
Roach – It's funny how in the time between bowl announcement and game day perception can take so many twists and turns. In that time Arkansas went from a flawed team very much like Texas, to a sleeping giant. This game still comes down to quarterback play for both teams. If Tyrone Swoopes can reduce the monster mistakes he made against TCU and get back to making the plus plays he did earlier in the season, Texas can play with anyone.
Texas 20
Arkansas 17
Both teams are very similar across the board. On offense, both teams rely on running the football and controlling the clock. The two teams also have similar defenses that are strong against the run and limit scoring opportunities.
For Texas to win the game, they will need to be able to move the ball with short passes and finally utilize Swoopes' rushing ability. Defensively, the obvious answer is to stop the run.
While I don't feel that Texas should be a 7 point underdog, I think Arkansas has an established offensive identity as opposed to the unreliable rushing attack that The Longhorns have tried to build around. Texas will need its defense to force turnovers against a team that is very good at protecting the ball.
Arkansas 13
Texas 7
Carrara – For Texas to win this game they will need to win the turnover battle and gobble clock as much as possible. The Longhorns keep it close but the Razorback offense gets it done against the Longhorns and leave Houston with a win.
Arkansas 21
Texas 17
Cotcher – When predicting Texas games this season, I have been confident and decisive. Not this week. Honestly, nothing would come as a complete surprise to me – from Texas winning handily, to Arkansas holding on in the fourth quarter to win.
When teams match up as evenly as I think Texas and Arkansas do, games are normally decided by turnovers and special teams. In their 6 wins, Texas gained almost 2.5 turnovers/game. As Lukus mentioned in his breakdown of the Hogs (http://www.hornsports.com/articles/texas-longhorns-football/breaking-down-the-razorbacks-r4412), Arkansas and quarterback Brandon Allen do an excellent job of protecting the football.
I’m going to predict that Texas upsets Arkansas, but realistically I’ll change my mind at least twice before kickoff.
Texas 17
Arkansas 14
Flanagan – I picked Texas to lose their 3 previous games. So I have established that I am not a "homer". Now I am going to throw that reputation out the window and say that not only will the Longhorns win, but will win big.
Yes, the Razorbacks shut out Ole Miss and LSU, but both those games were at home. LSU is known for great offensive players but not great offense so that's not a shocker. Regarding Ole Miss…when Bo Wallace is bad, he's really bad. Essentially, those two games boil down to the fact that Arkansas just got lucky.
Arkansas runs the ball and Texas stops the run. If you stop the run, Arkansas can't do anything else. I expect Vance Bedford and the defense to stop the run and go into the postseason with a huge win.
Texas 35
Arkansas 14
Hopkins – Arkansas is definitely not one of the better teams in the NCAA, but the matchup between the Razorbacks and Longhorns is receiving hype and for good reason. Both teams are expected to play hard, despite ESPN's prediction that Arkansas has a 72% chance of beating Texas.
To win, Texas will need to shed their fear and rely on the leadership of their coaches and teammates to carry them. It will be a good game, and no doubt close. Though Texas has a great opportunity to be a forceful team next year, we will go out on a loss this season.
Arkansas 28
Texas 24
Roach – It's funny how in the time between bowl announcement and game day perception can take so many twists and turns. In that time Arkansas went from a flawed team very much like Texas, to a sleeping giant. This game still comes down to quarterback play for both teams. If Tyrone Swoopes can reduce the monster mistakes he made against TCU and get back to making the plus plays he did earlier in the season, Texas can play with anyone.
Texas 20
Arkansas 17
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