Young college football fans living in the era of the Big-12 and SEC may not realize it, but Arkansas and Texas used to be one of the fiercest rivalries in college football. Now the Razorbacks and the Longhorns are renewing that rivalry in this year's Advocare V100 Texas Bowl at NRG Stadium in Houston. You can watch a free live stream of the action RIGHT HERE.
Arkansas and UT have met 77 times previously, dating back to the 19th century. The two used to be rival powerhouses in the now-defunct Southwest Conference, but Arkanas bolted for the SEC in 1991. This is the programs' first meeting in six years.
Arkansas coach Bret Bielema spent some of his pre-game preparations educating his current players on the history of this once-storied rivalry.
“I think they’ve bought into it,” Bielema said, via the Associated Press. “I say all the time we only stand on the shoulders of those who came before us. To be a part of something where Frank Broyles and Darrell Royal were such a big part of the game that we know today, it’s just truly amazing.”
Both teams finished the year 6-6, but took different routes getting there. Arkansas was undefeated in out-of-conference play, but limped to a 2-6 finish in the SEC. The Longhorns, meanwhile, posted a winning record in the Big-12 but struggled in non-conference games versus BYU and UCLA.
Texas will rely on a pair of talented receivers to jumpstart their offense. Senior John Harris leads the team with 64 receptions, 1015 yards, and seven touchdowns. Complementing him is Jaxon Shipley, who's back after missing the team's last game versus TCU. It will be interesting to see if Texas has a home field advantage in this game's ostensibly 'neutral' site.
The Razorbacks, conversely, are going to rely on the ground game their offensive attacks. Their corps of Jonathan Williams and Alex Collins is the only pair of running backs to both rush for 1000 yards in the FBS this season. If Arkansas plays turnover-free ball and controls the time of possession, they'll win this game.
PREDICTION: Arkansas 20, Texas 14
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