Breaking Down Arkansas’ Strengths, Weaknesses and Path To Upset Texas

Arkansas and Texas face off for the third season in a row. Texas is 2–0 in the SEC era against its former Southwest Conference foe and is positioned to extend its streak this season.

The Longhorns are considered a preseason contender for the SEC title in 2026, while Arkansas is likely to be projected to finish near the bottom of the SEC. However, Texas has its share of slip-ups against opponents it is expected to beat.

Where does Arkansas win, and could they pull off a surprise upset against Texas just two weeks before the regular season ends, or are the Longhorns certain to take care of business?

How Arkansas Could Upset Texas

Texas Longhorns running back Quintrevion Wisner leaps over a defender against the Arkansas Razorbacks. — Texas Longhorns running back Quintrevion Wisner leaps over a defender during the first half while running against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Arkansas’ new head coach, Ryan Silverfield, comes to Fayetteville, Ark., after spending six seasons as the head coach at Memphis. He has a background as an offensive coach, which is where the Tigers have succeeded over the last few seasons.

Memphis ranked among the top 25 in scoring in each of the last four seasons, and the Tigers averaged over 30 points per game in every season with Silverfield. This has equated to 29 wins over the last three seasons and a top-25 ranking in 2024.

Season	PPG (Rank)	Yards per Game	Adjusted EPA/Play (Rank)
2025	32.5 (25th)	411.6	0.11 (13th)
2024	35.7 (12th)	444.5	0.11 (19th)
2023	39.4 (6th)	458.5	0.15 (8th)
2022	35.3 (22nd)	421.4	0.03 (46th)

Silverfield brought his offensive coordinator, Tim Cramsey, with him from Memphis, along with several players. This is a significant move. The Memphis transfers may not all be starters, but they are familiar with the game plan. Silverfield has also never served as an offensive coordinator, and the continuity with Cramsey should help maintain a similar offensive environment.

It is currently unclear whether KJ Jackson or Memphis transfer AJ Hill will start under center. Arkansas opted not to send a quarterback to SEC Media Days this season, a sign that the quarterback battle is ongoing.

However, there is talent on offense. Wide receivers Chris Marshall (Boise State) and Jamari Hawkins (Memphis) joined this offseason, and running back Sutton Smith (Memphis) will form a duo with junior Braylen Russell.

The offensive line looks promising as well, with transfers Malachi Breland (Memphis) and Bryant Williams (Louisiana) joining veteran center Caden Kitler. Arkansas will need to keep pace with a potent Texas offense to win, potentially in a shootout.

Why Texas Will Beat Arkansas

Texas Longhorns wide receiver Parker Livingstone runs for a touchdown against the Arkansas Razorbacks. — Texas Longhorns wide receiver Parker Livingstone runs for a touchdown after making a catch during the first half against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Arkansas’ best bet to beat Texas would likely be to win in a shootout. It seems unlikely that the Razorbacks will have a defense capable of slowing down the Longhorns’ high-powered offense, with players like quarterback Arch Manning, running backs Raleek Brown and Hollywood Smothers and wide receivers Cam Coleman and Ryan Wingo.

The Razorbacks won two games last season despite scoring 32.9 points per game. The defense was a liability, conceding 33.8 points per game, which ranked 129th of 136 FBS teams.

Arkansas has talent on defense. Edge rusher Quincy Rhodes Jr. had 15.5 tackles for a loss and 8.0 sacks last season in a breakout junior campaign; David Oke, Charlie Collins and Bradley Shaw will also be impactful along the front seven as returning talent.

The biggest offseason additions came in the defensive back room. Jahiem Johnson (Tulane) and Carter Stoutmire (Colorado) will find roles on defensive coordinator Ron Roberts’ defense.

However, after facing defenses like Ohio State, Oklahoma and LSU, Arkansas will not be the most difficult opponent for Texas. The Longhorns should be able to handle business against the Razorbacks, carrying momentum into an important Week 13 matchup with Texas A&M that could carry SEC title game implications.

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