SEC Unfiltered: Why Arkansas football wants to play Texas in annual rivalry game

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FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – All last summer, Arkansas coach Sam Pittman heard a persistent refrain:

You've got to beat Texas. You've got to beat Texas. You've got to beat Texas.

The Razorbacks did just that, triumphing 40-21 over its old Southwest Conference rival, a win that sent fans spilling onto the field at Razorback Stadium. It was just the sixth time the teams have met since Arkansas began competing in the SEC in 1992 and only the second meeting in Fayetteville during the past 30 years.

Soon, Pittman hopes they'll meet annually.

Texas is set to join the SEC in 2025, and Pittman told me earlier this week that he'd like for the Longhorns to be designated as an annual rival for Arkansas.

Pittman means no disrespect to Texas. Rather, his stance is based on his appreciation for the rivalry. Simply, he thinks games like this are good for college football.

"For our fans, it would be a big deal," Pittman told me while I was on campus interviewing him for a preseason story that will publish later this summer.

"It would be a big game every year. Home or away, it would be a huge game, and those are fun to play.”

The SEC is deciding between two scheduling models for its 16-team future after Texas and Oklahoma join the league.

One model (the 1-7 model) would feature an eight-game SEC schedule with one designated rival that is played annually, plus seven rotating conference opponents.

The other model (the 3-6 model) would feature a nine-game SEC schedule with three designated rivals that would be played annually, plus six rotating conference opponents.

Pittman favors the latter model – “I think it’s a perfect model," he said – and he'd prefer Missouri and Texas as two of Arkansas' rivals in a 3-6 setup. He's flexible on the third rival.

Some who are hesitant to embrace a nine-game SEC schedule worry about strengthening an already tough schedule.

But, as Pittman noted, under a nine-game SEC schedule, the conference would stop requiring its members to play at least one Power Five nonconference game. Playing Power Five nonconference foes would remain an option, but teams worried about encountering too difficult of a schedule could opt to play three non-Power Five opponents in addition to their nine SEC games.

Pittman isn't alone in favoring an annual game against Texas.

Arkansas' senior linebacker Bumper Pool, a Texas native, grew up in a family full of Razorbacks fans and alumni.

Pool's dad graduated from Arkansas and taught him about the Texas rivalry. Experiencing it first-hand showed Pool the stakes of the game. The Week 2 victory spring-boarded Arkansas to its nine-win season.

“Getting to see the crowd rush the field, there’s just nothing that can beat the serotonin you feel after such a big win," Pool said.

The beauty of this round of SEC expansion is the opportunity to restore rivalries like Texas-Arkansas and Texas-Texas A&M. However, if the SEC opts for a 1-7 schedule model, those games likely would not be played annually.

In a 1-7 setup, Texas likely would play Oklahoma as its lone annual rival, while Arkansas probably would get Missouri.

As Pittman put it: Fans love rivalry games, and "they’re the ones buying the tickets."

So, give the fans (and the players) what they want: More big games against rivals.

Blake Toppmeyer is an SEC Columnist for the USA TODAY Network. Email him at BToppmeyer@gannett.com and follow him on Twitter @btoppmeyer. If you enjoy Blake’s coverage, consider a digital subscription that will allow you access to all of it.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY NETWORK: Why Arkansas football wants to play Texas Longhorns in annual rivalry game