FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas doesn’t enter the SEC Cross Country Championships with a target on its back but rather a chip on its shoulder.

The Razorbacks have won 34 consecutive conference championships but are decided underdogs entering today’s meet at Mississippi State. Arkansas, ranked 26 th in the nation, will have to upset No. 5 Alabama and No. 11 Auburn to continue a streak that former Arkansas Coach John McDonnell said might be his favorite accomplishment.

The Razorbacks’ women team tries for its third consecutive SEC title. No. 13 Arkansas will have to hold off No. 14 Florida.

First-year men’s Coach Chris Bucknam was uncomfortable with questions about the streak at a press conference Tuesday. His runners are more upset than uncomfortable and have gotten daily reminders of their underdog status by pinning a news release announcing it in their locker room.

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“Everybody walked in and did a double-take, and we were like, ‘Screw that, that sucks,’” said senior Scott MacPherson, who has been the Razorbacks’ No. 1 runner this year. “This is could be a chance to do something great when no one is expecting it. That’s one thing Arkansas has always been about, whether we had a good year or a bad year, we’ve always stepped it up when we needed to.”

That motivational tool was a team creation, Bucknam said. He said he thought it would be “unfair” to his team to make a point of upholding the streak.

“Obviously, there’s a tremendous sense of pride of who they run for and what the expectations are,” Bucknam said. “The expectations are off the chart every year.”

Bucknam said the Razorbacks need to concentrate on this meet, all by itself, because the competition with Alabama and Auburn will be hard enough without any distractions.

“My focus isn’t on what happened in the past,” Bucknam said. “I’d be lying to you if I told you I didn’t think about [the streak ], and I don’t know about it. We’re going to go there and compete like it’s the first and last SEC meet we’ll ever be in. We’re going to let the chips fall where they may.”

The Razorbacks are confident that if the streak dies today, it will die after a fierce fight. Arkansas had a promising outing at the Chile Pepper on Oct. 18, and that was with an ailing Lane Boyer.

Boyer, a sophomore, expects to be healthy for the SEC meet. Boyer and MacPherson, coupled with Alex and Andy McClary, give the Razorbacks a solid top four.

“We can’t sugarcoat it because it’s going to be extremely tough,” Boyer said. “Each one of us will have to run our best race of the year. We all four have to be in the top 10. The fifth guy had better be in the top 15. We’re going to have to stack in.”

Senior Andy McClary said the shorter distance of the SEC race — 8 K compared to 10 at the Chile Pepper — will be a great help to track-oriented runners like himself and his brother.

“We’re definitely ready to go,” McClary said. “We’re going to have to bring our best game. We have a lot of untapped potential that no one has really seen yet. Everyone thinks Alabama is going to win it, but I’m sure they’re scared that they’re the No. 1 team that everyone is looking at.”

One thing the Razorbacks have in common is a growing respect for Bucknam. Andy Mc-Clary said Bucknam handled a difficult coaching regime change well and won over his new charges with his coaching skill and competitiveness.

“The one thing I like about Coach Buck is when he gets excited, he gets that glow,” MacPherson said. “Every time we have a practice or run a race, he gets really fired up.

“[Bucknam and McDonnell ] are really different, but they compete for the same reasons. They want to win. Coach Mac used to say the only way to have fun is to win. They both have that mentality.” At a glance WHEN Today WHERE Mississippi State Cross Country Course, Starkville, Miss. SCHEDULE Women’s 6 K begins at 10 a. m.; men’s 8 K begins at 11 a. m. DEFENDING CHAMPIONS Men: Arkansas; women: Arkansas FAVORITES Men: No. 5 Alabama, No. 11 Auburn, No. 26 Arkansas; women: No. 13 Arkansas, No. 14 Florida