FAYETTEVILLE — Reggie Herring, Arkansas’ interim head football coach, made a plea to Arkansas fans as the Hogs prepare to face BCS No. 6 Missouri in the Cotton Bowl Classic: Come together. Right now.

“I would like to be part of a game where everybody is on the same page, on the same side, cheering for the same team, all together at once,” Herring said in a Sunday evening news conference. “That would be my Christmas wish.”

Arkansas (8-4 ) will take on Missouri (11-2 ), a team that was ranked No. 1 last week, but lost the Big 12 Championship Game to Oklahoma 38-17 on Saturday and fell out of the BCS bowl mix.

The Razorbacks’ last game was a 50-48 triple-overtime victory at No. 1 LSU on the day after Thanksgiving.

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But since that euphoric finish, Coach Houston Nutt’s 10-year era at Arkansas ended with him bolting for Ole Miss on Monday night. He was announced as Mississippi’s coach on Wednesday. A tug-of-war over Nutt’s assistant coaches’ time has rippled through the news media and the public.

“I’ve seen a very proud program slip into a cloud of negativity and self-destruction,” said Herring, who will be the first interim coach in the 72-year history of the Cotton Bowl. “All I ask is that it ends, that it goes away, for the players’ sake, for the fans.

“ Life is too short folks. It’s too short. I wasn’t put on Earth to go through what we’ve been through for the last two years. I don’t have many years left on this Earth, and I’d like to enjoy a few years coaching. I know the fans want it too. We’re all tired. We need to come together and we need to enjoy this game.”

Outgoing Arkansas Athletic Director Frank Broyles was overjoyed that the Razorbacks’ final bowl game during his tenure will be the Cotton Bowl, which has strong attachments to the Hogs.

“Dallas on New Year’s Day has always held a special place in the heart of Razorback fans,” said Broyles, who served as head coach at both Arkansas and Missouri, in a university release. “The storied tradition and the hospitality of the Cotton Bowl are unmatched.”

Broyles, who was 2-2 as a coach in Cotton Bowl games, was inducted into the Cotton Bowl Hall of Fame in 2000.

“This being Coach Broyles’ last year, we’re glad he’s going to be able to finish it out in the Cotton Bowl,” said Bruce Gadd, Cotton Bowl Athletic Association Chairman.

Missouri (11-2 ) will play in its first New Year’s Day bowl game since the 1970 Orange Bowl but were not one of 10 teams receiving bids to BCS bowls. The Tigers defeated Illinois and Kansas, two teams that received BCS Bowl berths on Sunday.

“I think there’s a time to evaluate the BCS and what goes on there,” Pinkel said. “We’re excited about going to the Cotton Bowl. Certainly It’s an honor for us to be there.”

Herring seemed to concede he would not be the next head Coach at Arkansas on Sunday as well, saying, “It’s been a great three years. I love you.”

On the Arkansas coaching search front, there was no public movement on Sunday.

Auburn Coach Tommy Tuberville, whose candidacy has been the talk of the state for several days, flew to New York City, where the annual National Football Foundation Awards dinner will take place on Tuesday. Sources close to the situation have said in recent days that Tuberville’s $ 6 million buyout would be a major obstacle in any attempt to lure him away from Auburn.

Tuberville’s Tigers accepted an invitation on Sunday to the Chickfil-A Bowl, where Auburn will face Clemson on Dec. 31.

Ironically, Clemson Coach Tommy Bowden, who is 69-40 in nine seasons with the Tigers, has suddenly emerged as a potential candidate for the Razorbacks. Additionally, ESPN reported late Sunday that Michigan defensive coordinator Ron English had interviewed for the Arkansas job.

Incoming Arkansas Athletic Director Jeff Long, who is in charge of the head coaching search, was not available for comment on Sunday. Long has stressed he will maintain secrecy in his search and will not discuss potential candidates.