The old Southwest Conference rivalry could gain fresh juice next season.
Texas and Arkansas used to go at it all the time in the Southwest Conference, and not just in football. The Texas-Arkansas basketball rivalry was spicy, fun, and nationally relevant in the late 1980s and early 1990s. In the 1990 Midwest Regional final, Texas and Arkansas met for a spot in the Final Four. The game was played in Dallas' Reunion Arena, then the regular site of the Southwest Conference Men's Basketball Tournament. Nolan Richardson's Razorbacks beat Tom Penders' Longhorns to go to Denver for the Final Four before losing to Mike Krzyzewski and Duke. Arkansas would avenge that Duke loss four years later to win UA's first and only men's basketball national championship.
The Texas-Arkansas basketball rivalry hasn't really taken off in the SEC. Arkansas has been very good but Texas has been relatively ordinary for the most part. Texas did make the Elite Eight in 2023 but usually has been a mid-to-lower-level seed in recent NCAA Tournaments.
This coming season, in 2027, that could all change. CBS Sports college basketball insider and analyst Jon Rothstein publishes a top-45 list and updates it continuously throughout the offseason as roster additions and changes emerge. Sunday (April 19), Rothstein published his latest Rothstein 45, as he calls it. Texas and Arkansas are both ranked in the top 10.
Rothstein documented the current roster situations for both teams:
"8. Texas
Projected Starting 5:
G Isaiah Johnson
G Amari Evans
G Austin Goosby
F David Punch
C Matas Voiketaitis
Projected Bench: John Clark, Lewis Obiorah, Coleman Elkins, Joe Sterling, Bo Ogden
Key Newcomers: Austin Goosby, Bo Ogden, Joe Sterling, Coleman Elkins, Isaiah Johnson (Colorado), David Punch (TCU), Amari Evans (Tennessee)
Key Losses: Jordan Pope, Chendall Weaver, Tramon Mark, Dailyn Swain, No Codie, Cam Heide, Simeon Wilcher
Entered NBA Draft Process:
9. Arkansas
Projected Starting 5:
G Jeremiah Wilkinson
G Jordan Smith Jr.
G Meleek Thomas
F Billy Richmond
C Cooper Bowser
Projected Bench: Abdou Toure, JJ Andrews, Isaiah Sealy, Paulo Semedo, Cooper Bowser
Key Newcomers: JJ Andrews, Abdou Toure, Jordan Smith Jr., Cooper Bowser (Furman), Jeremiah Wilkinson (Georgia)
Key Losses: Darius Acuff, Malique Ewin, Nick Pringle, Meleek Thomas, Trevon Brazille, Karter Knox, DJ Wagner
Entered NBA Draft Process: Meleek Thomas"
It will be fascinating to see if Texas and Arkansas can rise to the top of the SEC. It seems entirely possible, though Florida -- by bringing back multiple stars from this past season's No. 1 seed and SEC champion -- is still the team to beat. Nevertheless, if Arkansas and Texas both live up to preseason projections, this is going to be a fun season, a crackling rivalry, and a time when Arkansas (and Texas) can dream of returning to the Final Four.