No. 3 Texas 20, Arkansas 10: Three things we learned

It wasn’t the prettiest sport of the 12 months, however the No. 3 Texas Longhorns are in “win and also you’re in” mode for the SEC Championship sport and did simply that in opposition to the Arkansas Razorbacks in Fayetteville on Saturday. After getting ran off of the sphere the final time they went on the street to face the Hogs, an unpleasant win during which they iced it late is a end result the gamers and coaches can dwell with.

The offense has it in them to reply and end video games

Arkansas was constructing momentum and it appeared like Texas would snatch defeat from the jaws of victory, surrendering 10 unanswered factors within the second half and main by only a subject purpose after the Razorbacks kicked a subject purpose with 12:48 remaining within the fourth quarter.

Nonetheless, the offense got here out and answered the decision for what felt like the primary time within the second half, placing collectively an eight-play, 75-yard drive that ate up 3:36 and prolonged the result in 10 factors on a one-yard landing reception by broad receiver Matthew Golden, giving Texas some respiration room and sapping Arkansas’ momentum.

The Longhorns protection responded by forcing a turnover because of security Michael Taaffe recovering a fumble compelled by defensive deal with Alfred Collins on a display screen go, placing the Texas offense again on the sphere. With 6:55 left on the clock, the Horns held onto the soccer for the rest of the sport. That drive included a perfectly-executed display screen go to beat a blitz on third and 13 and a fourth-down keeper by Quinn Ewers on a zone learn to ship the Arkansas followers to the parking zone.

The protection continues to be the engine for the staff

Exterior of 1 drive within the third quarter, during which they have been visibly gassed attributable to an absence of complementary offense, the Longhorns protection had a solution for all the things the Razorbacks did on Saturday. The protection as soon as once more held the opponent to lower than 300 yards surrendering simply 82 dashing yards on a 2.4 yards per carry clip to an offense that averaged 191 yards per sport getting into the competition.

Texas performed within the Arkansas backfield for many of the sport, bringing them down for a loss 9 occasions and sacking quarterback Taylen Inexperienced six occasions within the contest. Collins and cornerback Jahdae Barron confirmed that they have been among the many elite gamers at their positions within the nation, each having profession video games and forcing a pair of turnovers that set the tempo for the sport.

Quinn Ewers doesn’t must be excellent for Texas to win

Coming off of a season-best efficiency per week in the past in opposition to Florida, the Razorbacks managed to maintain Longhorns quarterback Quinn Ewers off of his sport and power him into some errors. Whereas the quarterback received fortunate with a couple of passes bouncing off of defenders’ arms, he did sufficient with the sport on the road for Texas to return out with a win.

On the dagger drive for Texas, Ewers was 3-of-3 for 29 yards and a landing, changing all three throws going for a primary down or a rating. He completed the sport finishing 63 p.c of his passes for 176 yards and two scores, discovering eight totally different receivers within the course of.

It wasn’t spectacular, however it was sufficient.