By Robbie Neiswanger
Arkansas News Bureau • rneiswanger@arkansasnews.com
FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas and the Liberty Bowl maintained their stance that no official agreement had been reached Tuesday, but it’s clear the Razorbacks will ring in the new year in Memphis.
Arkansas is expected to accept an invitation to play in the Liberty Bowl when one is formally extended, according to a source with knowledge of the situation. The Razorbacks will meet the winner of this week’s Conference-USA championship game between East Carolina and Houston on Jan. 2.
Liberty Bowl executive director Steve Ehrhart could not confirm an agreement had been reached when contacted Tuesday. However, Ehrhart continued to stress the bowl’s interest in the Razorbacks as the Southeastern Conference’s postseason landscape continued to take shape.
“We certainly have been watching Arkansas,” Ehrhart said. “Since the first game of the year and the last game of the year. We think it’s a great opportunity, but nothing official yet. That’s not because of us, it’s because of the schedule of the SEC and the BCS.”
The official announcement may not come until the SEC releases its entire bowl schedule Sunday.
The league is waiting for confirmation that Florida and Alabama will play in Bowl Championship Series bowl games, which is all but a formality.
LSU is expected to receive an invitation to play in the Capital One Bowl after finishing the regular season 9-3. Various reports also indicate Ole Miss (Cotton Bowl), Auburn (Outback Bowl), Tennessee (Chick-fil-A Bowl), South Carolina (Papajohns.com Bowl), Georgia (Independence Bowl) and Kentucky (Music City Bowl) know their destinations.
Arkansas has played in the Liberty Bowl three times, all of which came before it joined the SEC. But the Razorbacks have never won the bowl game, losing to Tennessee (1971), Auburn (1984) and Georgia (1987).
Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino has led a team to a Liberty Bowl win, however, guiding Louisville to a 44-40 victory over Boise State in the 2004 game.
The Razorbacks entered the week hoping they still had a chance to play in the Cotton Bowl despite finishing 7-5. Arkansas is one of six SEC teams with a 7-5 record, while Ole Miss finished 8-4 with two wins against Football Bowl Subdivision teams.
However, athletic director Jeff Long said Monday the Razorbacks were looking forward to any bowl trip after missing out on postseason play in 2008.
“We’re going to be excited to go to a bowl game regardless of which one it is,” Long said Monday.
Mallett a Manning Finalist
Arkansas quarterback Ryan Mallett named one of 10 finalists for the Manning Award on Tuesday.
The Manning Award was created by the Sugar Bowl in honor of the college football accomplishments of Archie, Peyton and Eli Manning. It is the only quarterback award that takes into consideration the candidates’ bowl performances. The winner will be announced after the bowls in January and honored at a February banquet in New Orleans.
In addition to Mallett, Houston quarterback Case Keenum is among the 10 finalists for the award. It sets up the possibility that two Manning Award finalists will meet in the Liberty Bowl on Jan. 2.
