No. 3 Texas remains in contention for SEC title game after solid defensive play against Arkansas
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — While defense this season hasn’t earned No. 3 Texas any titles yet, it sure helped push the Longhorns closer to the SEC championship with their hard-fought 20-10 victory over Arkansas.
In this matchup, a Texas offense that struggled against a struggling Arkansas defense needed all the support it could get.
Arkansas came into the game boasting the second-ranked offense in the SEC, averaging an impressive 483.2 yards per game, but they were held scoreless until just 3:39 left in the third quarter. Ja’Quindon Jackson finally put points on the board with a 1-yard TD run, closing Texas’s lead to 13-7 and reviving the Razorbacks fans, who had been largely silent during the early game that started at 11 a.m.
With the crowd energized, Arkansas’s defense quickly forced Texas to go three-and-out after Jackson’s touchdown, and then Matthew Shipley kicked a 44-yard field goal, narrowing the score to 13-10.
However, Texas quickly answered back with their strongest drive of the day, moving 75 yards in just eight plays. Quarterback Quinn Ewers connected with scoring star Matthew Golden on a 1-yard pass to the corner of the end zone, marking Golden’s second touchdown of the game and boosting his season total to a team-leading eight touchdown catches.
The Texas defense, led by cornerback Jahdae Barron (who recorded seven tackles, two tackles for loss, one sack, and one interception), kept Arkansas in check, limiting them to 231 total offensive yards and forcing two turnovers. Despite managing only 315 offensive yards themselves, the Longhorns are set to enter next week’s home game against Kentucky with, at worst, a share of first place in the SEC.
Going into Saturday’s game, Texas, Tennessee, and Texas A&M were the only teams with one loss in conference play, and the Longhorns control their own fate since they still have the Aggies to play. Additionally, Texas is currently ranked second in the latest College Football Playoff projections while sitting at third overall.
This evening, both Tennessee and Texas A&M are scheduled to compete against Georgia and New Mexico State, respectively.
