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Arkansas-Texas Rivalry Once One Of College Football’s Most Heated

FAYETTEVILLE (KFSM) – An old rivalry is being rekindled later this month when Arkansas takes on Texas in the Texas Bowl in Houston on Dec. 29. The Razorba...

FAYETTEVILLE (KFSM) - An old rivalry is being rekindled later this month when Arkansas takes on Texas in the Texas Bowl in Houston on Dec. 29.

The Razorbacks and Longhorns have met 77 times, but the most recent came in 2008, when Texas won 52-10. Arkansas's last win in the series came in 2003 as they posted a 38-28 victory.

The two programs first met in 1894, but the rivalry didn't start until the late 1950s.

"The worst thing that can happen is to let Texas beat you," said Bill Gray, a member of the 1964 Arkansas national championship team.

Frank Broyles, a former Arkansas head coach, said everybody was trying to beat Texas during the years of the old rivalry.

"That's what you dreamed of and prepared for," he told 5NEWS on Monday (Dec. 8).

Every Razorback has a favorite Texas game memory, and for some it was the Arkansas-Texas game on October 17, 1964. The Longhorns put their 15-game winning streak on the line in that matchup against Arkansas.

The Hogs led the Longhorns 14-7 late in the fourth quarter, but Texas scored with 1:27 left in the game.

"They came back and scored a touchdown with just a very little amount of time to play," Gray said.  "They decided to go for two and the win, but we broke it up."

Arkansas went on to win the game 14-13. The team finished with a perfect season that year, and won the program's only National Championship.

"That was big time," Gray said. "I mean there was a lot of fun and partying on the plane back."

Many great rivalry games followed leading up to the Hog's final season in the conference.

"They were the best and most talented and potentially the best team in the Southwest Conference," Broyles said.

Arkansas joined the SEC in 1992, and four years later Texas went to the Big 12. Since then, the teams have only met four times, 2000, 2003, 2004 and 2008.

For many the Longhorn hatred is still there. And for some former Razorbacks like Gray, they are excited to see the old rivalry re-ignite itself this year.

"People are already talking about beating Texas and how important it is to do that," he said. "So by December 29th, I think they will all understand that and have that kind of emotion."

Arkansas will face Texas in the Texas Bowl in Houston at 8 p.m. on Dec. 29.

Both Arkansas and Texas finished the regular season 6-6 after each lost in their finale. The Longhorns won three straight before being routed by No. 5 TCU 48-10 on Nov. 27.

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