Former Mississippi State and Florida head coach Dan Mullen has issued a warning to No. 3 Texas ahead of their clash with unranked Arkansas on Saturday. Speaking on ESPN’s SportsCenter, Mullen highlighted why the Longhorns might be vulnerable in this old Southwest Conference rivalry showdown.
“Arkansas already shocked Tennessee earlier this season,” Mullen stated. “With a strong defense and an athlete like Taylen Green at quarterback, they’re dangerous—especially at home. Arkansas would love nothing more than to spoil Texas’ playoff aspirations.”
While Texas enters the matchup riding high after a dominant 49-17 victory over Florida, Arkansas is looking to rebound from a 63-31 loss to Ole Miss. Despite their recent struggles, including four losses in five games against ranked opponents, the Razorbacks’ ability to cause upsets remains undeniable.
Mullen pointed out Arkansas’ 2023 win over No. 7 Tennessee, achieved without turnovers—something they’ve struggled to avoid this season. Compounding their challenge, they’ll face a Texas defense tied for fifth in the nation for turnovers forced, including nine in their last three games.
Stopping Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers, who threw for 333 yards and five touchdowns last week, will also test Arkansas. Their defense recently gave up 515 passing yards and six touchdowns to Ole Miss’ Jaxson Dart.
Despite the odds favoring Texas, Mullen emphasized that no top team is immune to an unexpected upset. Arkansas holds a 3-2 advantage in the last five matchups, with their most recent win over Texas coming in 2021.
Can the Longhorns finally break their Arkansas drought dating back to 2008, or will the Razorbacks pull off another shocker? All eyes will be on Saturday’s showdown.
