WATCH: Marty Smith surprises Arkansas fan with tickets to Texas game

ESPN college football analyst Marty Smith joined forces with the University of Arkansas to gift two tickets to an emotional fan who has dealt with loss this year. Smith posted a video of the surprise interaction on social media late Friday night.

Lifelong Razorback fan and Arkansas alumnus Greg Stanfill has lost his wife after a two-year battle with cancer. He then lost his brother and mother within a matter of weeks. Stanfill’s son reached out to chare his father’s story which touched a soft spot for everyone who heard it.

Over the last six months, Greg Stanfill lost his wife, brother and mom.

So, @MartySmithESPN surprised him with tickets to the @RazorbackFB game ❤️pic.twitter.com/WYUCa3kP0Y

— SEC Network (@SECNetwork) September 11, 2021

“He’s had a really rough go, and needed some light in the darkness,” Smith posted on Twitter. “We tried to provide just a bit of joy.”

History of the rivalry

Arkansas and Texas have a rivalry which dates back to 1894. The two schools have met 78 times since that date with Texas leading the all-time tally 56-22. Arkansas won the most recent meeting in 2014 and last hosted Texas in 2004.

When Arkansas left the Southwest Conference for the Southeastern Conference in 1994, the rivalry stuttered becoming an occasional matchup on the non-conference schedule. Now, 27 years after the Arkansas move, Texas is set to join the SEC. The Longhorns are set to join the conference in 2025, renewing the old rivalry in a new way.

In the meantime, Arkansas and Texas fans have Saturday’s primetime meeting. The two teams are set to play at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN, but Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium is the place to be. Tickets for Saturday’s game are sold out and a standing-room only area has been set up.

The game will also feature a “stripe out” in Fayetteville. Arkansas fans are encouraged to wear red or white clothing depending on which section they sit in during the Texas game.