|
SPONSORS ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Instant Replay Published: Sunday, December 03, 2006 PRINT E-MAIL ATLANTA — Arkansas didn’t know when it left the Georgia Dome on Saturday night whether it would be picking fruit or cotton on New Year’s Day. The Razorbacks will play in either the Capital One Bowl, formerly known as the Citrus Bowl, or in the Cotton Bowl. Capital One Bowl officials attended Saturday’s game but uncharacteristically avoided the pressbox and could not be found for comment. It’s believed though that the Capital One would be nervous about taking an Arkansas team (10-3 ) coming off back-toback losses and might be more interested in Tennessee (9-3 ). Arkansas has received commitments from season ticket holders that would satisfy the ticket allotments for the Capital One (12, 000 ) and Cotton (12, 500 ) bowls. But Capital One officials might be believe that the Vols would bring more bowl-hungry fans than the Razorbacks would.
Rankings have mattered to the Capital One in the past. Arkansas entered the game eighth in the USA Today and harris polls and ninth in the BCS standings and probably won’t drop too far because Florida was No. 4. Tennessee was 18 in USA Today, 19 in Harris and 16 in the BCS standings. Arkansas thumped Tennessee 31-14 last month but that probably will not weigh heavily when the Capital One members vote for the matchup today. Arkansas Coach Houston Nutt said, “I just think this team deserves the best available [bowl ].” Reading between the lines, that would be the Capital One by virtue of its top perch in the SEC pecking order. The Capital One Bowl has the first pick of an SEC team after the BCS makes it choices. Florida is going to a BCS game and LSU is expected to be an at-large choice. Not much else can happen concerning Arkansas until those matchups shake out. “I think everybody is in the same boat that we are,” Cotton Bowl President Rick Baker said. “We’re really all having to wait for the BCS process to take place.” The Cotton Bowl is expected to take Nebraska on the Big 12 side. If the Capital One Bowl invites Tennessee, it would be the first time the bowl has not taken either the SEC Championship Game loser or a team that has at least tied for a division title. The Capital One took Arkansas in 1998 as the West cochamp that did not go to the SEC title game and passed over the Hogs as the SEC Championship Game loser in 1995 and 2002. Try him off tackle Was that Antwain Robinson or Darren McFadden returning the third-quarter interception for a touchdown ? Robinson, a defensive end, showed tailback savvy by switching the ball to his outside hand to protect it and then outran Florida quarterback Chris Leak about 40 yards to the end zone. No hurry So much for all that off-season hubbub about the hurry-up, nohuddle offense. It was a no-show all season and was glaringly absent when the Hogs needed it most the last two games. Trailing 38-28 and needing two scores Saturday, Arkansas kept huddling to call plays with six minutes left, the clock running and no timeouts in the bag. TD mark nabbed Marcus Monk’s 48-yard catch in the second quarter broke Anthony Lucas’ UA career and season receiving touchdowns record. Monk now has 24 career touchdowns and 11 on the season. Lucas attended as an official guest of the conference. No Hillis again Fullback Peyton Hillis did not make the trip, which is the third consecutive game he has not been with the team. Hillis has not played since aggravating a deep thigh bruise Nov. 11 against Tennessee, a span of four games, and he has not been on the sideline for the past three games. His absence from the sideline is unusual because injured players typically hang around the team during games. So what gives ? Free safety Michael Grant (knee ), linebacker Freddie Fairchild (knee ) and linebacker Chop Gregory (shoulder ), who all are out for the season, watched from the sideline wearing their jerseys. All that Coach Houston Nutt has been willing to say is that Hillis is going through rehabilitation for his injury so he’ll be ready for the bowl game. Before kickoff Workers finish painting the midfield SEC logo less than three hours before the game’s start. Two large blowers are placed on either side of the 20-yard-long to speed up the drying process. Arkansas Coach Houston Nutt, still wearing his pregame attire (dark suit, red tie ) spends a few tranquil moments with brothers Danny and Dennis on the sideline. Danny is the team’s running backs coach. Dennis is an assistant basketball coach at Coastal Carolina. National Guardsmen on the sideline give the Gator chop as Florida’s players take the field for warmups. Arkansas quarterbacks Casey Dick and Mitch Mustain share warmup snaps as they usually do. Florida players bounce in a pack on the midfield SEC logo just before heading back into the locker room prior to kickoff. Did you notice ? Four different players took snaps on Arkansas’ first five plays: Casey Dick, Felix Jones, Darren McFadden and Robert Johnson. The first two Arkansas pass receptions were made by former Florida recruit commitments, Ben Cleveland and Damian Williams. The second timeout Arkansas burned was because its defense had just 10 men on the field as Florida was about to snap the ball. On the final play of the third quarter, Marcus Monk’s thirddown pass route was run 3 yards short of the yard line needed for a first down and he came up 3 yards short. Sidelines No linebackers and seven defensive backs were on the field for Arkansas when Florida’s Percy Harvin took an option pitch for 11-yard first-quarter gain. Florida kicker Chris Hetland had made just 3 of 12 field goal tries entering the game before connecting on a season-long 34-yarder in the first quarter. Three non-quarterbacks threw touchdown passes: Arkansas tailback Darren McFadden and receiver Cedric Washington and Florida receiver Andre Caldwell. Thumbs up To Arkansas’ defense for putting an abysmal first half behind it and turning in big plays in the second half. To Florida Coach Urban Meyer to call the fake a punt on fourth-and-11 from its 15-yard line in the third quarter. It caught Arkansas dozing. To Florida’s run defense for doing what nobody else has been able to do this season — slow Darren McFadden and Felix Jones. Thumbs down To Arkansas’ special teams debacles. You can’t make those kind of mistakes this late in the season on that large of a stage. To Arkansas passing game for being exposed a second consecutive week for the limited weapon that it is. The Hogs were more productive throwing than in the LSU game but, like in the LSU loss, could not throw and move the ball downfield fast when they needed to late in the game and trailing. More Stories From: Scott Cain Yesterday's Most Popular 2. Exceptions rule Fayetteville High alums well represented at FCC match-play championship Today's Most E-mailed 1. LIKE IT IS : Football prognosticators ready to fire up fans 2. FIRECRACKER FAST 5K : Former Hog Forrest too fast for competition |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||





