Texas Football: Players Who Could Have a Breakout Performance in the Texas Bowl

The Texas Longhorns will have the chance to bounce back from the embarrassing regular-season finale loss to TCU with an upset win over Arkansas in the AdvoCare V100 Texas Bowl.

A win over the Razorbacks could be exactly what Charlie Strong needs for added momentum heading into the offseason. But Strong will need a complete performance from his Longhorns in order to leave Houston with a win.

One of the most important players who needs a breakout game is quarterback Tyrone Swoopes.

Swoopes' performance in the Longhorns' Thanksgiving loss to the Horned Frogs was his worst game as a first-year starter. The quarterback had five turnovers that ultimately led to 24-points for TCU.

Strong made it clear the coaches have not given up on Swoopes but need to recruit better to bring more competition to the quarterback position.

A solid performance could not only help eliminate the criticism from his five-turnover game, but it could help him make a case as the starting quarterback for 2015.

In addition to making a case for his future, Swoopes will need to bring his best game to NRG Stadium against the Arkansas defense. The Razorbacks have struggled to come from behind in games this season.

The quarterback needs to get his offense off to a fast start and put up points early to force the Razorbacks to keep up with the Longhorns.

Swoopes has proven he can play at a high level and has a chance to continue to prove it against the Razorbacks.

But Swoopes will also need the help of his offensive weapons against Arkansas.

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The quarterback's go-to guy this season has been fifth-year wide receiver John Harris.

Harris leads the Longhorns with 1,015 receiving yards and seven touchdowns. His breakout senior season could be even more special with a standout performance against a SEC defensive unit.

The Razorbacks have allowed an average 221 passing yards per game and 19 passing touchdowns. If Swoopes can play on point against Arkansas, Harris has a chance to increase his final season numbers in the Texas Bowl.

A lot of attention will be placed on the Texas offense in the bowl game, but one could argue this game will come down to the team with the best defense.

The Razorbacks offense consists of two 1,000-yard rushers in Alex Collins and Jonathan Williams. The duo has combined for a total of 2,109 yards and 23 touchdowns.

Collins and Williams run behind a massive offensive line, which has helped open up the holes in the run game. Containing the backs will be an arduous task for the Texas run defense, which has allowed an average of 162 rushing yards per game and 16 rushing touchdowns.

The Longhorns' ability to stop the run could be the determining factor in the outcome of the game.

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The entire defense will be tasked with containing the duo, but defensive tackle Malcom Brown and linebacker Jordan Hicks will be must-watch players for Texas.

Brown has been one of the biggest difference-makers for the Texas defense in his junior season. The 6'2", 320-pound tackle leads the Longhorns with 6.5 sacks and 14 tackles for loss.

He has been a force to be reckoned with all season and has the chance of finishing off his junior year on a high note with a standout performance against the Razorbacks.

Fifth-year senior linebacker Hicks is arguably one of the most important players on the Texas defense. The 6'1", 234-pound linebacker racked up 138 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks and two interceptions in his fifth year at Texas.

His ability to make one-on-one tackles is one of the biggest upsides of the linebacker and he will need to bring that talent to the Texas Bowl.

In the end, the Longhorns will have their hands full in facing 6-6 Arkansas, but all hope is not lost for Texas.

If Swoopes can play consistently well and not turn over the football while the defense can find a way to stop Arkansas' run game, Texas will leave Houston with a win. But if either of those groups fails to perform to its ability, it could be a negative end of the season for the Longhorns.

Unless otherwise noted, all quotes were obtained firsthand.

Taylor Gaspar is Bleacher Report's featured columnist covering the Texas Longhorns. Follow Taylor on Twitter @Taylor_Gaspar.