On Monday, a short clip surfaced on Twitter of Arkansas head coach Sam Pittman stating that Texas is more widely viewed as their main rival than Texas A&M is.
The Longhorns currently have two primary rivals worth mentioning — Texas A&M and Oklahoma. However, Texas has a long storied history with Arkansas dating from 1915 to 1991.
Due to Texas A&M and Arkansas each joining the SEC, Texas’ primary rival has centered around conference opponent Oklahoma. It’s quite comical for Pittman to mention Texas as more of a rival over Texas A&M considering they face off against the Aggies each year.
The Longhorns are in a very similar spotlight as to what the Cowboys are to the NFL. Whether it’s deserved or not, the attention never diminishes. It’s a sure bet that every opponent will put their best foot forward when playing against a team of this nature and power.
Oddly enough, ESPN listed Texas to face Arkansas in the Texas Bowl in their latest bowl projections after Week 8. This particular bowl game will take place at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas.
The current favorite to win the Big 12 title — Oklahoma State — was projected to face Texas A&M in the Goodyear Cotton Bowl. Participating in the Texas Bowl or Autozone Liberty Bowl is certainly an underwhelming finish for the Longhorns.
However, they have the talent and favorable schedule to still compete for a spot in the Big 12 Championship game. In order to keep their conference title hopes alive, Texas must defeat Oklahoma State on Oct. 31.