It’s Texas week, folks.
The Longhorns and the Razorbacks will soon likely be playing every year in the SEC. For now, though, part of what makes this old rivalry so special is what used to be.
For this special series this week here on Razorbacks Wire, we’re going to count down the top five Arkansas-Texas games in history (note: for our purposes, history goes back to 1960 as anything before that can be awfully difficult to find details about).
Yes, the No. 1 game we will write about Saturday is no surprise. But you just might not guess the others.
Here is No. 5.
No. 10 Arkansas 17, No. 2 Texas 14 – 1979
Two seasons before this one, Texas handed Lou Holtz’s Razorbacks their first, and only, loss of the season. It was by only four points. The Longhorns won the Southwest Conference title by going undefeated in the regular season, but ultimately finished behind the Hogs in the final polls.
The season before this one, Texas again handed Arkansas its first, albeit not only, loss of the season. This time by seven points.
Holtz was building a dynasty at Arkansas, but the Longhorns were his buggaboo.
Future NFLer Gary Anderson, a freshman, tied the game in the second quarter on a 28-yard scamper to the end zone. Texas had taken the lead in the first on a 37-yard run by AJ “Jam” Jones.
Arkansas would score the next two. Darryl Mason caught a 7-yard touchdown pass from Kevin Scanlon and Ish Ordonez booted a 31-yard field goal with 8:25.
The Razorbacks were about to dismantle Texas’ national championship dreams.
But the Longhorns countered. On the first drive after Ordonez’ field goal, tight end Lawrence Sampleton 35-yard pass from Texas quarterback Donnie Little to cut Arkansas’ lead to three. The catch was inexplicable. Little threw in the midst of three Arkansas defenders over the middle. Kevin Evans, one of the defenders, got a hand on it and Sampleton, re-adjusting his body, caught it, turned on the spin and ran the final couple yards to the clear.
Arkansas needed only to run out the remaining 5:12, but couldn’t. Texas had a final shot.
Thankfully for the Razorbacks, Billy Ray Smith came up with two huge sacks of Little to stall some time on the Longhorns’ ensuing drive. But Lam Jones caught a deep ball over the middle to get Texas to the Arkansas 33.
Pressure mounted.
Texas stalled, though, and John Goodson came on to try a 51-yard field goal with a wind reportedly over 20 miles per hour.
The snap was clean. The hold was clean. The wind was too much.
Goodson’s field goal was short and to the left. Arkansas ran out the final 1:28 and Holtz and company handed the Longhorns their only loss of the season.