Sarkisian Taking Lessons from Rest of SEC Before Arkansas

Longhorns coach remembers 2021 well, ready for better showing

Texas Longhorns coach Steve Sarkisian talks with the special teams as they warm up ahead of the Longhorns' game against the Florida Gators at Darrell K. Royal Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin. / Sara Diggins/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — No. 3 Texas is in its first season in the SEC, but the Longhorns are sitting pretty at 8-1. With half the conference having two or fewer SEC loses, coach Steve Sarkisian knows that no team can be taken lightly.

"You have to come ready to play week in and week out," Sarkisian said. "The moment you don’t, you get beat. And there’s been some really good teams in our league that have probably lost games that they’re looking back and they’re kicking themselves that maybe they weren’t quite as ready to play."

Sarkisian also remembers the 2021 game well. Arkansas beat No. 15 Texas 40-21. Since that game, the two teams have taken different paths. Since that game, Texas' record is 31-14 while Arkansas is 23-22 with just 11 conference wins in nearly four seasons.

Texas Longhorns quarterback Casey Thompson (11) rushes for a touchdown as Arkansas Razorbacks linebacker Bumper Pool (10) defends at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium. Arkansas won 40-21. / Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images

"I’m not sure if there was even a stick for us to get the short end of that night," Sarkisian said about the 2021 game, "We got our ass whupped. Hopefully we play better Saturday."

The respect is obviously mutual. Arkansas coach Sam Pittman was quick to dismiss claims about Texas' strength of schedule, which is ranked 34th by FootballReference.

"A lot of times critics don’t know what they hell they’re talking about," Pittman said. "I don’t think they know much what they’re talking about on this one either. This is a damn fine Texas team. You don’t go beat Oklahoma by 31, and beat Mississippi State by 22, and beat Michigan by 19, beat Colorado State 52-0 and have a sorry football team."

Texas running back Jerrick Gibson (9) celebrates a touchdown against Michigan during the first half at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor on Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024. / Junfu Han/Detroit Free Press / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Arkansas and Texas kickoff 11 a.m. Saturday from Razorback Stadium. The game will be broadcast on ABC.

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