If you’re old enough to remember Texas-Arkansas games when they were conference rivals in the old Southwest Conference, you know it was never easy.
Now conference bunkmates again, Texas’ trip to Arkansas sure wasn’t easy. But after the Hogs cut the Texas lead to three points in the fourth quarter, the Longhorns were near perfect over the final 12 minutes and secured a hard-fought 20-10 win.
Texas was clearly the better team in the first half. But thanks to mistakes in the passing game, UT only held a 10-0 lead at halftime. There were plays the offensive line struggled, Ewers overthrew his receivers or drops that ended drives prematurely.
The Hogs sacked Ewers twice. But Texas didn’t have any turnovers on the day, so whatever points Arkansas would get they’d have to earn.
The Razorbacks had two consecutive drives late in the third quarter/early fourth quarter that produced a touchdown and a field goal to cut the lead to 13-10. Then the Longhorns woke up and took control of the game.
Texas QB Quinn Ewers marshaled and eight play, 75 yard touchdown drive that was capped by a perfect one-yard pass to Matthew Golden in the front corner of the endzone to restore Texas’s 10-point lead. There were no third downs in the drive. The Horns rolled down the field on first and second downs only.
"There is no defense for a perfect throw." 🎯@TexasFootball x 📺 ABC pic.twitter.com/Cs7dM01wFz
— Southeastern Conference (@SEC) November 16, 2024
Arkansas then got the ball and got a couple first downs before Alfred Collins, who was a beast all day, stripped the ball out of Arkansas WR CJ Brown’s hands. The ball was recovered by Michael Taaffe giving UT the ball at its own 32 yard line.
With a 6:55 left in the game, the Texas offense performed a perfect 14-play game-killing drive. With almost seven full minutes in the game, Arkansas never got the ball back.
With 2:24 on the clock, facing a 4th and 2, Ewers kept the ball on a zone-read and fought for enough yards to gain a first down at the Hogs 28 yard line. Arkansas was out of time outs and had no way to stop the clock. Ewers took a knee three straight times to end the ballgame.
Even if an offense is high-powered, you need a group that can execute a powerful possession drive to kill a game if needed. Saturday in Fayetteville, the Longhorns did just that.