Although some people have been doing bowl projections since Labor Day… Anyway, perusing around some CFB sites tonight, I’ve seen more than one pundit projecting us to the Outback Bowl. Belk Bowl in Charlotte seems to be the #2 choice; also saw TaxSlayer (AKA Gator for those who can’t keep up with sponsors). Neither Outback nor Belk seems to be fond of West teams, so we’ll see if they have any idea what they’re talking about. Bowl Sunday is still six weeks off, so a lot can change (go 10-2 and we can do better than Tampa for one thing).
I think the Texas Bowl has become what the Cotton Bowl used to be - the top reward for the best West team that doesn’t make the top-line bowls. If Alabama and Texas A&M were to make the College Football Playoff bowls and Arkansas finishes third in the West, then I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Razorbacks go back to Houston. The Citrus Bowl has to take the team that loses the SEC championship game if it doesn’t make the playoff series.
I hope not. The Texas Bowl has no brand pizzazz . . . to me, it’s what it was when we played there 2 years ago - a nice landing point for a 7-5 or 6-6 team. Similar to the Independence Bowl in years past. If we win 8 or more games in the regular season (yet to be seen), we deserve better than that.
FWIW, one of the ESPN guys predicts a match up I was thinking of on the drive in today - Arkansas vs. Wisconsin (in the Outback, according to this guy). That would be a very interesting match-up, on multiple fronts.
First off, it would be just the second meeting of the two programs; of course, the first was 10 years ago when they played in the Citrus Bowl, when CBB was at Wisconsin. Of course, that is the main story line - Bielema vs. his old school.
http://www.espn.com/college-football/st … son-week-8
I respect Wisconsin; they are ranked ahead of us and based on who they lost to - and how close the games were - they deserve to be. But the good thing is that I think this match-up, were it to come about, is a good one for Arkansas. Wisconsin has a good running game, but they don’t have the running threat at QB that Alabama, TCU and A&M does. We generally do pretty well when it’s a phone-booth offense. And while Wisky’ has a good defense, we’ve shown we can move the ball and find ways to score 30 points on just about anyone.
it’s interesting to think about.
Wiz, I would like that matchup.
I get that, but it’s a new day. There is no Cotton Bowl or Peach Bowl for the SEC to send its 8, 9-win teams to anymore. Those have been replaced with Houston and Charlotte.
Wiz, we got “promoted” to the Texas Bowl two years ago; based on our record and the bowl’s position in the SEC pecking order, we would not have qualified for them (more like Nashville, or even Shreveport). They wanted us because we’d bring a crowd, and then they lucked into getting Texass as our opponent (the Little Dozen bowl assignments are based on record/standings much more than the SEC’s are). Instant sellout.
I agree with Matt. With the Cotton and Peach out of the SEC bowl picture, Charlotte and Houston have become more prominent in the pecking order.
That may be the case, but if they are pitting two 6-6 teams against each other the perception of the Bowl will remain Independence Bowl level.
In other words, I’M OK going there IF we play a team with 8 or 9 wins (like i hope we have). i don’t want to play a bottom-feeder unless we’re one as well. If we are, I’ll be glad for any Bowl (as I was in 2014).