After a first half that Arkansas coach Sam Pittman deemed “embarrassing,” the Razorbacks scored 31 unanswered points after halftime to down Rice 38-17 in their season opener last week.

This Saturday, the level of competition ramps up in a big way, as 15th-ranked Texas visits Fayetteville in a matchup of former league rivals in the old Southwest Conference.

Pittman was asked about the Longhorns during the SEC coaches teleconference Wednesday, and it’s clear that he has a lot of respect for Steve Sarkisian’s team.

“They have a wonderful team, a lot of skill on offense, a very good defense that runs to the ball,” Pittman said. “We certainly have our work cut out for us, but that said, we’re excited for the game.”

Earlier this week, Arkansas officials announced that the Texas game was a sellout, which didn’t come as a surprise to Pittman, as he knows many remember what a great rivalry this was before the schools moved to different leagues.