Arkansas Not Getting Help It Needs Against Texas This Weekend

Longhorns will be fully ready to plow through Hogs en route to showdown with Aggies for playoffs

Arkansas Razorbacks quarterback KJ Jefferson is tackled by Florida Gators defensive end Princely Umanmielen in the first half at Steve Spurrier Field at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, FL on Saturday, November 4, 2023. / Doug Engle/Gainesville Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The Arkansas Razorbacks needed a diversion.

Perhaps a nice Georgia or Texas A&M to soften up Texas and keep their minds off punching the Hogs back through the tunnel into the Broyles Complex. Instead, Arkansas gets to follow Florida.

On the positive side, the Gators aren't quite the Gators, especially as of late. They're more like Vanderbilt Light, but that's a vast improvement since Billy Napier arrived in Gainesville.

In recent weeks, Florida has wins over Mississippi State, UCF, Kentucky and an overtime loss to Tennessee. They were even tied 20-20 with Georgia with just over four minutes left to play, so technically they're enough of a threat to at least keep the Longhorns interested.

However, Arkansas needed a team that could do a bit of damage as far as leaving Texas somewhat battered and bruised and so laser focused they forgot Arkansas is even on the schedule. If quarterback DJ Lagway ends up being unable to go or can't get through more than a couple of drives, then all the odds are against the Hogs.

The Razorbacks are already battling huge disadvantages. For one, Arkansas is playing a day game in Fayetteville.

The Hogs are traditionally bad at home, but if the lights aren't on, they're typically downright embarrassing. Add in the level of experience Quinn Ewers brings, which has been an invitation to throw at will against the Razorbacks this season, and the omens start getting ominous.

Should Taylen Green get the start against his home state school, the ability of the Texas offensive line to create pressure becomes a major factor. Should back-up Malachi Singleton get the nod instead, recent history shows the Arkansas stands a little better chance of it not impacting the game quite as much.

Still, that's a lot to overcome. Razorbacks coach Sam Pittman compared his team to a blue light special of sorts when comparing it to the "Louis Vitton" that was what Ole Miss's NIL money managed to buy for its roster.

Meanwhile, Texas recruits literally have to walk through a tunnel of Lamborghinis just to get into the athletics complex on official visits, so if the Rebels supposedly had that much more talent purchasing power than Arkansas, what the Longhorns throw around doesn't offer much hope on that front.

Were this game at night, the Razorbacks would still have a puncher's chance. Strange things happen at night in Fayetteville.

However, there hasn't been anything scary about Arkansas in the daylight since the current crop of recruits were getting their first taste of elementary school. Even if the Gators manage to get to Ewers and he has to miss a week to heal some sort of deep bruise, Archie Manning is waiting behind him.

It's the same case at most positions for the Longhorns. There's also the fact the Whiny Orange is dead set on having a chance to take on Texas A&M to end the year with a potential playoff spot on the line.

So, Hog fans can watch the Texas game today looking for some form of hope to latch onto, but unless ESPN gets a wild hair and decides to break its own programming rules and turns this into a night game, it might be best to keep an eye on what Louisiana Tech's up to instead.

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