Texas travels to Fayetteville on Saturday to take on the Arkansas Razorbacks, rekindling what was once one of the fiercest rivalries in college football.
Since 1991, the Arkansas Razorbacks and Texas Longhorns have faced off just six times. The 21st Century Hogs are 4-2. Prior to 1991, Arkansas and Texas played annually.
Thirty-three years ago, the two teams were fierce conference rivals in the Southwest Conference. Arkansas’ 14 conference championships rank third in the SWC behind Texas (27) and Texas A&M (17).
However, tired of being in UT’s shadow (like A&M in 2012), the University of Arkansas left for the SEC as it felt like Texas had “ran away” in the conference. It was disappointing to lose a rival for a year and a year, but the Longhorns had other rivals as well. Mainly Oklahoma and Texas A&M.
“I don’t know what Darrell Royal did to Arkansas back then, but they absolutely hate our guts.”
Steve Sarkisian
Success in the SEC has been sparse for Arkansas. The Hogs have only appeared in the SEC title game three times in 32 seasons. They have lost all three games, twice to Florida and once to Georgia.
But despite all the years apart, Arkansas’ biggest rival is still Texas. Sure, the Razorbacks have a rivalry with LSU, but the Tigers won’t be as hated in Arkansas as they are in Texas.
When Hogs coach Sam Pittman arrived in Fayetteville, he was told that Texas was the Razorbacks’ biggest rival, even though the two teams rarely played. “I don’t know what Darrell Royal did to Arkansas back then, but they absolutely hate our guts,” Texas manager Steve Sarkisian said this week.
The two began playing in 1894 and played every few years until 1932. Texas was 14-0 during that time. From 1932 to 1991, the two teams played each other every year. Texas was 41-19 against the Hogs during that span, but there were some very important games.
The two names most associated with the rivalry are Frank Broyles and Darrell Royal. The two, who are close friends, brainstormed for years before announcing their retirement after the 1976 match.
The Border Wars were most pronounced in 1960, when at least one team ranked in the top 10 in eight games, and both teams won national titles in the ’60s. The University of Arkansas won its only title in 1964 with a landslide victory over the University of Texas. The Longhorns won the title in 1969 by defeating the University of Arkansas on the final day of the season in what is still referred to as the “Game of the Century.”
With both teams back in the same conference, the once heated rivalry will be restarted.
Here are some of the biggest games in series history.
1964: Arkansas 14th and 9th, Texas 13th and 1st
Arkansas won its only national football championship in 1964. One of the most notable wins that year was against Texas State.
Texas is ranked No. 1 and is the defending national champion. The University of Arkansas is ranked No. 8 heading into the game in Austin. Future Hogs head coach Ken Hatfield scored a touchdown on a punt return to give Arkansas the lead.
Texas scored a late TD and attempted a two-point conversion for the win (a college football game at the time could have ended in a tie). The two-point shot attempt failed and the Razorbacks won the game and the national championship.
1969: Texas 15, Arkansas 14
The most famous meeting between these two rivals occurred in 1969, during college football’s “100th anniversary.” This game is still called the “Game of the Century”. The Horns were the No. 1 team in the nation, and the University of Arkansas was No. 2. ABC executive Beano Cook had arranged for Texas and Arkansas to move the game to the first weekend of December for the final regular season. A typical October day. President Richard Nixon also flew on Air Force One to watch the game.
Despite a cold rain and an icy fog filling the stadium, the Hogs went on a 14-0 victory, sending the home fans into a frenzy. But legendary Texas QB James Street led the Longhorns’ comeback. Street ran for a TD on the first play of the fourth quarter. Darrell Royal had decided before the game to score two points after the Longhorns’ first touchdown to avoid a tie, but Street made it.
Texas intercepted Arkansas quarterback Bill Montgomery at the Longhorns 7-yard line, preventing the Razorbacks from scoring. With 4:47 left, Royal gambled again, going for a fourth-and-3 from its own 43-yard line. Royal called “Right 53 Via Pass,” which remains the most famous call in Texas football history. The play was a deep pass to the tight end, one of only 10 passes Texas attempted in the game. When the play was called, Street famously asked, “Are you sure you want to do that?” Royal retorted, “You’re right!”
Randy Peschel made a difficult over-the-shoulder catch in double coverage and gained 44 yards, putting Texas within the Razorbacks’ 13. A few plays later, the Horns punched it into the end zone for the win.
In the locker room after the game, Nixon declared Texas National Champion and presented Royal with a commemorative plaque. Of course, UT had to play a bowl game to officially win the title. Texas defeated Notre Dame 21-17 in the Cotton Bowl to clinch the championship.
1981: Arkansas 41st, Texas 11th
Texas was the No. 1 team in the nation when the Horns traveled to Fayetteville to play unranked Arkansas. The Hogs defeated the Longhorns 41-11.
This is the largest margin of victory for an unranked team over a No. 1 team in college football history. This game was Texas’ only loss of the 1981 season. UT finished second in the final AP poll.
2000: 24th Arkansas 27, 14th Texas 6
Trivia Question: Who played in the first college football game of the 21st century?Answer: Texas and Arkansas.
Texas and Arkansas, who hadn’t played each other in eight years, met in the 2000 Cotton Bowl Classic. This was truly the first game of the 21st century.
Texas finished the regular season with a 9-3 record and was crowned Big 12 South champion, but lost to No. 3 Nebraska, 22-6, in the Big 12 Championship Game.
The Hogs, coached by Houston Nutt, dominated the Texans, winning 27-6. It was the Razorbacks’ first bowl game win in 15 years.
2021: Arkansas 40th, Texas 21st, 15th
Welcome to the SEC!
Arkansas was the first SEC team Texas faced after Oklahoma announced in July 2021 that both schools would join the conference. Even though this move wouldn’t happen for several years, the match took on added significance.
In his first year as the Longhorns’ coach, Texas manager Steve Sarkisian took the Horns to Fayetteville, where they were whipped 40-21. Arkansas ran for 333 yards and handled UT really well.
After the game, Arkansas fans stormed the field and destroyed the goal posts.
