Arkansas @ Texas preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 27, 2008 ) Arkansas 10, Texas 52

ADVOCARE V100 TEXAS BOWL STORYLINES

1. Texas and Arkansas have shared a similar journey to the AdvoCare V100 Texas Bowl in Houston. “You look at two teams that started off tough, but we both ended up heading in the right direction,” Texas coach Charlie Strong told reporters. The Longhorns began Strong’s first season 3-5 before stringing together three straight wins to become bowl eligible.

2. Arkansas fell to 4-5 after losing to Mississippi State on Nov. 1 before shutting out LSU and Ole Miss in consecutive games. Texas and Arkansas each ended the regular season on a losing note, with the Longhorns falling 48-10 to TCU and the Razorbacks allowing Missouri to rally for a 21-14 victory. The teams are meeting for the first time since 2008, with Texas leading the all-time series 56-21.

3. Both teams boast a strong running game and impressive defensive units. Arkansas running backs Jonathan Williams and Alex Collins have combined for 2,109 rushing yards and 23 touchdowns, while the Longhorns’ Malcolm Brown and Johnathan Gray have scored a total of 13 TDs. Both teams rank among the top 33 nationally in scoring defense, with Arkansas holding opponents to 20.3 points per game.

TV: 9 p.m. ET, ESPN. LINE: Arkansas -6

ABOUT ARKANSAS (6-6, 2-6 SEC): The Razorbacks ended the program’s 17-game conference losing streak with a 17-0 victory over LSU on Nov. 15 and followed with a 30-0 win over Ole Miss. Linebacker Martrell Spaight was an All-SEC first team selection after leading the league in total tackles (123), and defensive lineman Trey Flowers has been a force with five sacks and 13.5 tackles for loss. While the Razorbacks rely heavily on the run, Brandon Allen has been a reliable option at quarterback with 18 touchdown passes and five interceptions.

ABOUT TEXAS (6-6, 5-4 Big 12): The Longhorns’ stellar defense is led by linebacker Jordan Hicks (team-high 138 tackles) and tackle Malcom Brown, who leads the team in tackles for loss (14) and sacks (6.5). Cedric Reed finished the season with four sacks in the team’s last three games and started all 12 games for a Texas defense that allowed 23.4 points per game in Big 12 play. Quarterback Tyrone Swoopes' season has been marked by inconsistency and a 13-to-10 touchdown-to-interception ratio, including four picks against TCU.

PREDICTION: Arkansas 27, Texas 17