The SEC's Arkansas Razorbacks will look to finish their season on a strong note with a victory over Texas, out of the Big 12, in the Longhorns' own backyard in this season's Texas Bowl at NRG Stadium in Houston. The game is set to kickoff at 8 p.m. (ET) on Dec. 29, and it will be broadcast nationally on ESPN.

Arkansas got off to rough start this year with four straight up losses in its first seven games, but it rallied down the stretch with a 3-2 mark that included victories against LSU and Mississippi. The Razorbacks went a very profitable 9-3 against the spread this season, and the total has stayed "under" in six of their last eight games.

The Longhorns managed just two SU wins in their first six games, but they ended up 6-6 SU (7-5 ATS) on the year after winning three of their last four outings both SU and ATS. The biggest victory was a 33-16 upset over West Virginia as three-point home underdogs on Nov. 8. The total stayed under in eight of their 12 games this year.

Texas Bowl Picks: Arkansas vs. Texas Story Lines

Arkansas has the misfortune of playing in the most competitive division in the nation's top power conference. And while it may not all that evident in the overall record, this is still a very talented team on both sides of the ball. Just ask LSU and Ole Miss, whose seasons both took a major turn for the worst when they ran into the Razorbacks down the stretch only to get shut out by a combined score of 47-0.

The defense finished the regular season ranked 16^th in the nation after holding opponents to an average of 20.3 points. This effort complemented an offensive attack that was able to score an average of 32 points a game. Brandon Allen threw for 2,125 yards and 18 touchdowns while getting picked off only five times, but it was the Arkansas ground game that moved the ball up and down the field. Both Jonathan Williams and Alex Collins rushed for more than 1,000 yards, and the offense as a whole gained an average of 220.3 rushing yards a game.

Texas started to gel a bit down the stretch, but it was dealt a harsh dose of reality in a 48-10 drubbing at the hands of TCU as a 4.5-point home underdog in its season finale. Overall, the Longhorns showed some solid balance on offense in their ability to move the ball through both the air and on the ground, and their defense finished a respectable 33^rd in the nation in points allowed (23.3).

The Longhorns had their own productive duo of running backs in Malcolm Brown and Jonathan Grey. These two combined for 1,311 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns. Tyrone Swoops took the majority of the snaps at quarterback and threw for 2,352 yards and 13 scores. John Harris was the top target in the passing game with 64 receptions for 1,015 yards and seven scores, and Texas hopes to have its second-leading receiver Jaxon Shipley back in the lineup for this game after injuring his leg.

Texas Bowl Picks: Arkansas vs. Texas Betting Odds and Trends

BetOnline has listed the Razorbacks as six-point favorites against the home-town Longhorns in this SEC vs. Big 12 clash, and the total for the game has been set at 45.5.

The Razorbacks have covered ATS in nine of their last 11 games, but they are 1-4 ATS in their last five bowl games. The total has stayed under in their last six appearances in a bowl game.

The Longhorns are 12-2 SU in their last 14 bowl games, but their record ATS is just 6-8. The total has gone "over" in their last four games against a team from the SEC.

Head-to-head in this matchup, Texas has a slight 4-3 SU edge in the last seven meetings, but Arkansas has covered ATS in four of the last five games. The total stayed under in three of those five games.

2014 Texas Bowl Picks: Arkansas vs. Texas Expert Betting Predictions

Both of these teams were able to salvage a .500 record after suffering through a disastrous start, but in a head-to-head matchup I am going with Arkansas all the way in this one with the spread still sitting at six points. The Razorbacks' defense found its form down the stretch, and it is going to be a tough task for the Longhorns to keep things close for all four quarters.

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