The annual Southwest Conference (SWC) rivalry game between the University of Texas at Austin verses the Arkansas Razorbacks was truly a war that seemed to always have national championship ramifications….especially during the late 1960’s to the mid-80’s…..as it started with UT Coach Darrell Royal’s squads taking on UA Coach Frank Broyles’ teams from Fayetteville….and carried on through the UT Coach Fred Akers teams vs UA Coach Ken Hatfield’s squad of 1985.
Coach Hatfield was in his 2nd year at Arkansas….in a year that the Hogs were the eighth-best team in the nation in rushing yards per game with 265.6…..while on the defensive side….they only gave up only 11.7 points per game….which was the 6th best mark in college football. Entering this game against the Horns, the Razorbacks were ranked # 4 in the country.
The Longhorns finished the regular season with an 8–3 record….while topping of the season with a 24 – 16 loss at the hands of the Air Force Falcons in the Bluebonnet Bowl….as Coach Fred Akers would enter hia last season at Texas. David McWilliams was the defensive coordinator for Akers in this game….and would replace him as head coach one year later.
The truth of the matter is that Texas really played quite gallantly is this ballgame….cuz they were coming off a tremendous letdown after losing a hard-fought battle in the annual Red River Shootout with Oklahoma just the week before. Coach Akers got his boys up for this game with the Hogs….cuz this game was a “snot knocker” that came down to the very end. AWESOME COLLEGE FOOTBALL!!!
