No. 3 Texas manages close 20-10 win over Arkansas

On Saturday, the Texas Longhorns looked to etch another mark in the win column, moving one step closer to an SEC Championship appearance. However, after an uninspiring performance from the offense, it was the Texas defense that stepped up and held the Razorbacks back. Ultimately, the Longhorns did just enough to hang on and win 20-10 over Arkansas.

In 2021, Steve Sarkisian’s Longhorns traveled to Arkansas and looked like a deer in the headlights. When something went wrong, the team could not respond. This time around, Sarkisian would lead an experienced group into Fayetteville looking for revenge. And, while things were far from perfect for the Longhorns today, the team responded to the challenge when needed.

At quarterback, Quinn Ewers had an up and down day against Arkansas. While the junior quarterback struggled with accuracy issues, he also stepped up when he needed to. With Texas floundering late, it was Ewers who fired a one-yard strike to Matthew Golden to extend Texas’ lead late, his second touchdown connection with Golden on the day. Against Arkansas, Ewers mustered 176 yards through the air and threw for two touchdowns. Overall, the Longhorn quarterback did just enough but the rope that he is tightroping a dangerous one.

Unlike the Longhorn offense, the Texas defense did not struggle with inconsistency issues. The nation’s fourth-ranked scoring defense blanketed the Razorback offense, allowing only 231 yards and 10 points. Additionally, Jahdae Barron continued to make his case for the Jim Thorpe Award, presented to the nation’s best defensive back, with both an interception and a sack. Furthermore, the usual names for the Pete Kwiatkowski’s defense stepped up as Anthony Hill Jr, Alfred Collins, and Colin Simmons all made big plays on the road.

Next weekend, the Longhorns will host the Kentucky Wildcats. It will be a big game for a multitude of reasons, namely to see if the offense can catch their stride before their game against Texas A&M. While consistent play at the quarterback position has been an issue, it is arguably not even the team’s biggest focus area on offense. Keep an eye on the running back battle between Jaydon Blue and Quintrevion Wisner as the two Longhorn running backs fight for the starting job. With the prospect of the playoffs on the horizon, it will be paramount for Steve Sarkisian’s team to find their offensive identity.