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First look at Arkansas Razorbacks: Can Texas A&M football deny Petrino revenge?

Arkansas has looked alternately explosive and horrid on offense this year. Can Texas A&M football make them more the latter than the former?

By Graham Harmon

Aug 29, 2024; Little Rock, Arkansas, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino during the second half against the Pine Bluff Golden Lions at War Memorial Stadium. Arkansas won 70-0. Mandatory Credit: Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images
Aug 29, 2024; Little Rock, Arkansas, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino during the second half against the Pine Bluff Golden Lions at War Memorial Stadium. Arkansas won 70-0. Mandatory Credit: Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images / Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images
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Can Texas A&M football put the lid on explosive Razorback offense and dampen Bobby Petrino's day?

The annual game between Texas A&M football and Arkansas in Arlington, despite the one-sided results over the last dozen years, is always an emotional roller coaster. So many times, we have seen the Aggies come in as big favorites, only to play a much closer game than any Aggie fans want to see.

This year, though the Hogs looked to be on a downward trend entering the season, may be more of the same. Despite the initial outlook, it appears that the addition of Bobby Petrino to the Arkansas staff, along with Boise State transfer QB Taylen Green, has given fans in Fayetteville something to look forward to on Saturdays.

Arkansas currently sits at 3-1, with their wins coming over UAPB, UAB, and Auburn. Their lone loss of the season, at Oklahoma State, was a game they led decisively before giving up a comeback to the Cowboys in Stillwater.

Now, it's not all been sunshine and roses. The Hogs fell behind to UAB 17-0 before managing their own comeback, and their offense looked like a complete slog against Auburn this past week (even though they ended up with the win).

Even so, I think it's safe to say that the Hogs look like they're set to exceed expectations this year. This week, though, begins a three-game gauntlet for Sam Pittman's bunch against ranked teams: A&M this week, and then hosting Tennessee and LSU (with a bye in between). You have to think that Hog fans would be elated to be 4-3 coming out of that stretch.

If they do pull off an upset in one of those three games, it will no doubt be thanks to the strength of their run game. The Hogs have rolled out a surprisingly solid rush defense this year, which has complemented their own run game quite well.

Taylen Green is extremely athletic as a QB, and can really fly. Containing him in the pocket will be a high priority for the Aggie defense. Of course, when the Ags aren't worrying about the mobile QB, they have Ja'Quinden Jackson to be concerned with (interestingly, himself a QB now turned RB).

The Hog passing game hasn't been the most consistent, but when it has worked, it has been chiefly thanks to TE Luke Hasz and WR Andrew Armstrong. Both have been reliable targets for Green in the passing game, and Petrino has done a great job of scheming them open.

The Aggie defense matches up well with the Hog offense here, but I'm worried about the Aggies' ability to execute on offense if Marcel Reed is the quarterback. Given that the run defense is the strength of this Arkansas team, and Reed's demonstrated inability at this point in his career to consistently test teams vertically, it could be a slog of a game.

We could be looking at something like a 20-13 final if it's Reed. If Weigman rolls out there, though, that completely changes things; I think the Ags will be able to possess the ball longer and convert on more drives. If we see QB1 out there, I'll say it looks more like a 31-10 final when all is said and done.

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