Texas football’s 20-10 win over Arkansas on Saturday marked a historic feat for the Longhorns. Head coach Steve Sarkisian lifted the veil of clouds looming over the program ever since the Razorbacks crushed the team during their last meeting back in 2021, which also happened to be Sarkisian’s first year.
Needless to say, overcoming long-term rival Arkansas in their first year as SEC members was a major victory for Sarkisian and the nine remaining players from his 2021 roster who stood as starters against the Razorbacks this time.
But the victory was arguably more meaningful for the fans, with some, like Kelly Devetter, making the eight-hour drive to Fayetteville to cheer on Longhorn nation.
Devetter said her daughter, Jenna, is on the Texas Spirit Squad. She displayed her pride and support with a personalized button pinned to her burnt orange sweater. Not only did Kelly want to see Jenna shine in her first year with the squad, but she wanted to see the Longhorns avenge the loss from three seasons ago.
“It was on my birthday,” Kelly said. “It was the worst birthday ever, but we’re going to redeem ourselves today.”
For others, like Missouri resident Ian Casler, the trip wasn’t as grueling, especially when it gave him and his coworker Tim Johnson a chance to live out their personal rivalry once again.
Casler was born and raised in Texas and still has family living in the state, which he said makes him a Longhorns fan by affiliation, despite going to school at the University of Missouri. Johnson, on the other hand, was born and raised in Arkansas, and the two became colleagues at work in Missouri.
“The rivalry runs deep, but the personal rivalry has been seven years or so,” Johnson said, sporting an old fashioned ‘Horns Down’ sweatshirt next to Casler’s Texas one.
Rooting for the opposing teams has been a form of connection between them. Johnson said he hasn’t let Casler forget about the last time Texas and Arkansas battled it out.
“He can’t help it where he came from,” Casler jokingly said about Johnson before being cut off by him, “Nothing beats the ‘Hogs!”
Moving inside the stadium from the white-tent tailgates, the student section was a sea of Burger King crowns and crimson and white pom-poms, with a few Texas infiltrators among the madness.
One of the less obvious Longhorn fans tucked in the crowd was Texas sophomore Samad Rizvi, wearing a sweatshirt with a small embroidered Longhorn hidden under his black windbreaker.
Rizvi said he had no idea about what happened during the 2021 game, having just transferred to Texas ahead of this semester. He said he just came to hang out with a group of friends of his that attend Arkansas.
“[The plan was] to definitely visit my friends, the game was kind of a side thing,” Rizvi said. “But I definitely did want to go because hook ‘em, you know?”
He said this was only the second Texas game he’s attended, other than the Red River Rivalry game versus Oklahoma. Being a Dallas native, Rizvi went to the Red River game with family, but said experiencing a Longhorns game with friends in the SEC has crafted the perfect weekend.
“I’m just here with good company, good vibes. Texas is winning right now, so [I] can’t ask for more,” Rizvi said.
