FAYETTEVILLE — As important as playing for its seventh win against its oldest rival is the recruiting exposure Arkansas gains by spending time in Houston later this month.
It's no secret the Razorbacks, like several other teams, regard the state of Texas as prime recruiting ground. Arkansas' current roster includes 19 players from the Lone Star State and based on current verbal commitments the Razorbacks' signing class in February will include at least two Texans.
Arkansas' game against Texas will be its third this season in the state. The Razorbacks played Texas Tech in Lubbock and Texas A&M in Arlington in September. While previously scheduled, those games conveniently coincided with Arkansas coach Bret Bielema's assertion earlier this year the program needed to increase its exposure in Texas.
"We use that a lot in recruiting," Bielema said. "It's a big deal to kids in the state of Texas to be able to come home and do that. We call them our Tex Hogs. We want to continue to expand that."
The game against the Aggies is under contract to be played every year in the Dallas suburbs for the next decade. Arkansas is also scheduled to play TCU in Fort Worth in 2016.
The Razorbacks are under contract to play Texas Tech, TCU and Texas in Fayetteville by 2021.
During a September interview, Jennifer Duncan, a Dallas-based academic recruiter for the University of Arkansas, said the Texas A&M game has helped grow the university's exposure in the area. Though speaking on the topic of recruiting for the university as a whole, her words ring true for football coaches attempting to gain a foothold in local high schools.
"(The game) brings more visibility to prospective students," Duncan said, "as they see us mentioned on the local radio and news stations."
Because the Razorbacks are playing the home state Longhorns, media outlets in Houston will pay closer attention to the game, similar to the way ones based in Dallas and east Texas do for the Southwest Classic.
Jonathan Williams grew up in Allen, just outside Dallas. While Arkansas wasn't on his radar until later in the recruiting game, he can remember the Razorbacks being mentioned during their trips to the Metroplex during his high school years.
It's a philosophy being utilized by several out-of-state programs. Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, UCLA, Florida State, Wisconsin and LSU all played neutral-site games in the state this season.
"Texas high school football is huge," Williams said. "Whenever a school gets a chance to go into that area and recruit, I feel like they take that chance."