The No. 3 Texas Longhorns are laying nearly two touchdowns, listed as 13.5-point favorites at BetMGM, as they head to Razorback Stadium to take on Arkansas with the total settling in at 57.5 points.
Before we lay down the pick, gotta give you some numbers from the meeting back in 2021. Steve Sarkisian and Sam Pittman were both leading their teams, and Arkansas (+5.5), at home, posted a gigantic 40-21 win. That was Pittman's second year at Fayetteville, when he had a really good team which finished the season at 9-4. The last three years, 7-6, 4-8 and 5-4 this season, have not been especially attractive.
Texas vs Arkansas odds
Texas vs Arkansas, Nov. 16, 12:00 pm ET
Odds as of Nov. 12 at BetMGM
Texas vs Arkansas pick – Week 12
Texas -13.5 (-110) at BetMGM
Looks like the strong get even stronger. Talking about the SEC and first year debutante Texas. The Longhorns have galloped into the SEC with a bang, winning eight of their first nine games and locking down the No. 3 spot in the AP Top 25 and the No. 5 position in the College Football Playoff rankings. Steve Sarkisian has a championship pedigree from his days as the offensive coordinator at Alabama.
Sark is now in his fourth year down in Austin and the numbers are starting to look gorgeous. Texas was 12-1 before losing to Washington last year in the semi-final of the Playoffs. The 'Horns fly to Fayetteville with an 8-1 record, a stingy defense and an explosive offense. The D is allowing just 12 points per game, while the O is off the charts, scoring an average of 38.9 ppg.
And most of the offensive explosion comes from Heisman Trophy candidate, QB Quinn Ewers. Since Ewers missed a couple of games, his Heisman odds have dropped, but MAN can this kid hummmmm. Last week, he was 19 of 27 for 333 yards with FIVE TDs and 0 INTs. Those numbers are spectacular but you also need to know that the 'Horns have a special rushing attack that gobbled up 210 yards against Florida.
Not quite sure what to make of Arkansas because they run hot and then run cold. The Razorbacks are sitting at 5-4, and we were thinking about buying some Hog as double digit underdogs. Then we watched the game last week against Mississippi and OH BOY, what a disaster. Ole Miss blew the doors off Pig Pen with a 63-31 victory. The Rebels QB Jackson Dart was throwing, what else, DARTS, hitting on 25 of 31 (80.6%) for 515 yards with SIX TDs and ZERO INTs. Just think what Ewers is gonna do to the Hogs.
From this keyboard, we are never thrilled when a team can not decide on a QB and that's what Arkansas is dealing with. Both QBs, Malachi Singleton and Taylor Green can run & pass. But both are just little more than average.
Singleton has only one TD in five games so far this season, while Green has 11 TDs but 7 INTs. We looked specifically at the Red River Rivalry game against Oklahoma. The Sooners had a dual-threat QB, Michael Hawkins, and Texas blew the canvas top off of the Sooner Schooner, 34-3.
Texas has covered seven of the last nine as a double digit favorite, but the Razorbacks have covered five of the last six as a double digit dog. Which way we gonna turn? Arkansas coach Pittman compared his team to a Walmart Blue Light Special and called the Ole Miss players the Louis Vuitton guys. If Mississippi is Vuitton, then Texas is GUCCI! Gimme Gucci baabbbeee!