Conference Rivals Once Again: The History Between Arkansas and Texas Football

At one point in time, both teams were the biggest names in college football. While not true anymore, the hate still resides between the two as they reignite the long rivalry as conference opponents yet again.

Sep 11, 2021; Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA; Texas Longhorns running back Bijan Robinson (5) is tackled by Arkansas Razorbacks defensive backs Greg Brooks Jr. (9) and LaDarrius Bishop (24) during the first quarter at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images / Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images

From 1915 to 1991, the Arkansas Razorbacks and the Texas Longhorns played in the Southwest Conference together before Arkansas left for the SEC.

During those years, Texas and Arkansas had many great battles including one matchup with both teams being ranked one and two in the polls.

But since that fateful move from the Razorbacks to move to the SEC which dominoed into the collapse of the Southwest Conference, the two teams haven't played each other much.

If you talked to any Arkansas fan, however, they would probably consider it an important rivalry to them. Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian said that Arkansas fans "hated Texas more than they liked themselves." at the SEC Media Days this Summer. And Arkansas head coach Sam Pittman responded to that statement with, "He's probably right."

So at last, the two teams are conference rivals once again in the SEC and will resume the yearly game between the two with this year's starting in Fayetteville on Saturday.

In total, the Longhorns and Razorbacks have met on the field 79 times throughout history ranging between the years 1894 to 2021. The all-time record has Texas leading 56-23.

A lot of that has to do with the early success. Texas beat Arkansas 54-0 in the first game, which still holds as the largest victory in the rivalry, and then won another 13 games before Arkansas finally beat Texas in 1933.

The Razorbacks then owned the 1930s before the Longhorns won another 12 straight before Arkansas snapped that streak in 1951.

Since then the Texas Longhorns have had a pretty common control of the rivalry, not letting Arkansas ever win more than 3 games in a row while Texas has gone on a winning streak more than three a total of three times.

But recent trends favor the Hogs. In the six matchups played since Arkansas left the Southwest Conference. Texas has lost four of six including the last two matchups in 2014 and 2021.

So can Texas take back its spot as the most recent victor in this long and heated rivalry? We will find out on Saturday at 11 a.m. CT. But for the time being, here are some of the biggest games from the rivalry.

1894: Texas 54, Arkansas 0

The first game between the two teams. It still holds as the largest margin of victory for either team in the rivalry. It would take five games for Arkansas just to finally score against Texas. It would take another 10 matches before they would beat Texas.

1964: No. 9 Arkansas 14, No. 1 Texas 13

Arkansas takes down the number one team Texas in Austin after a key two-point conversion stop. Arkansas scored with 6:43 left in the fourth to go up 14-7 but gave up a touchdown with 1:27 left. Luckily, Arkansas stopped Texas on the two-point conversion to win the game. The no. 9 ranked Razorbacks would go on to win the national championship this season.

1969: No. 1 Texas 15, No. 2 Arkansas 14

Marked as "The Game of the Century", the top two ranked teams in the nation faced off in Fayetteville with President Richard Nixon in attendance. The Longhorns trailed 14-0 going into the fourth quarter before scoring 15 in the final quarter to stun the Razorbacks. By the end of the season, Texas was crowned National Champions.

1981: Arkansas 42, No. 1 Texas 11

Arkansas completed the largest margin of victory for an unranked team over the top-ranked team in college football since World War II with this dominant game in Fayetteville. Texas would go on to win the next four meets after losing this year.

2000: No. 24 Arkansas 27, No. 14 Texas 6

The first game of the century ended in a Razorbacks win over the Longhorns in the Cotton Bowl. This was also the first game played between the two since Arkansas left the Southwest Conference.

2008: No. 7 Texas 52, Arkansas 10

This game marks the last time the Longhorns have taken down Arkansas in this long rivalry. Colt McCoy had a great game completing 17 of his 19 passes for 185 yards and three touchdowns. He also rushed for 84 yards and two touchdowns. Texas and Arkansas would not play again until 2014 in the Texas Bowl.

2021: Arkansas 40, No. 15 Texas 21

In Steve Sarkisian's first year with Texas, the Longhorns got embarrassed in Fayetteville in the "welcome to the SEC" game as most Razorback fans would say. The Longhorns didn't even score until the second half. Texas QB Hudson Card ended up getting benched for Casey Thompson. Texas ended up going 5-7 on the season and hasn't played Arkansas since.

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