Welcome To The SEC, Texas: Hogs' Run Game Runs To Victory
Rivalries and packed crowds will bring the best out of a team. It certainly played a factor at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium on Saturday night.
For the first time since 2019, Fayetteville was filled to the brim with fans, pristine in red and white stripes section by section.
The aesthetic style was a near-perfect look into the Arkansas night sky for a match against Texas.
The same could be said about Kendal Briles' play-calling. Arkansas knew they'd be facing off against a talented Texas backfield featuring Bijan Robinson.
The Razorbacks decided to instead have a run game of their own, recording 471 yards on the way to a 40-21 win over Texas.
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Briles, who enters his second season with the Razorbacks (2-0), made sure to attack Texas' (1-1) defensive line with a combination of runners. Five different names recorded 40 yards or more on the ground, each averaging at least 6.3 yards per carry.
Four different Razorbacks found the end zone on the ground. Dominique Johnson from six yards out.
That was later followed by Trelon Burks in the third from the goal line. Raheim Sanders broke down the sideline for a 26-yard score only to have AJ Green outdo him the following drive for a 30-yard run to the end zone.
Remember the 2007 rushing trio of Darren McFadden, Felix Jones, and Peyton Hills? The quartet could give them a run for their money by the season's end.
Quarterback KJ Jefferson's lone mistake came on the second play of his first drive in the third quarter. A forced throw was picked off by Texas' (1-1) B.J. Foster.
Outside of that, consider it a "prove it" outing as his status of QB1.
Briles and Jefferson still have work to do. They have to extend the passing attack when facing top-run defenses like Texas A&M and Alabama. Still, consistency is key, and Jefferson at least was that.
The first-year starter threw for 138 yards and averaged 7.3 yards per throw. He also added another 73 yards with his legs, averaged the same number on the ground as he did through the air.
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The offensive line was terrific, refusing to allow a sack with Jefferson inside the pocket. They opened wide running lanes for an average of 7.1 yards per play rushing. And for every negative run, Arkansas would usually double the yards back on the next play.
Is hope arising for the Hogs?
A fourth-quarter surge in Week 1 propelled the Razorbacks to win over Rice. Jefferson tried to do too much passing, so Briles kept the game plan simple. See a target? Hit him quick.
If all else fails, run. It's the Razorbacks' bread and butter — why not use it if it's working?
Arkansas consistently moved the ball. By the second half, drives were ending quickly, but they were also ending in scores.
Little by little, the lead kept growing. The damage was done by the time Texas' Steve Sarkisian elected to move from Hudson Card to Casey Thompson.
It was Arkansas' game to control. Short and simple led to a top 15 upset at home.
For the first time since 2014, the Razorbacks and Longhorns met on the football field. Back then, Charlie Strong was the hopeful name to bring Texas "back." Bret Bielema finally reached .500 for the first time as Arkansas' head coach.
Soon, the rivalry of the Southwest Conference will be reignited in the Southeast. Texas and Oklahoma will be full-time member by 2025, meaning this could be a preview of what is to come.
Pittman isn't the biggest name coach, and Arkansas still has work to do. But as fans charged the field in celebration, chants of "S-E-C, S-E-C!" rumbled as a warning sign to Texas
This new conference is a whole different level. Even those rebuilding are can win any given Saturday night.
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