FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas is expected to accept an invitation to the Liberty Bowl when bowl bids are officially announced, a source familiar with the bowl selection process said Tuesday.
The Razorbacks would take on the winner of Saturday’s Conference USA Championship game between East Carolina and Houston if invited. The 51st Liberty Bowl is set for Jan. 2, 2010 at 4:30 p.m., and the ESPN broadcast is the only bowl game in its time slot.
Arkansas (7-5) had its four-game winning streak snapped in last Saturday’s 33-30 overtime loss at No. 15 LSU.
The Razorbacks last played in the Liberty Bowl in 1987, dropping a 20-17 decision to Georgia.
Florida and Alabama, slotted first and second respectively in the BCS rankings, meet Saturday in the SEC Championship for a spot in the BCS national championship. The loser is expected to pick up a bid in a BCS bowl, which has allowed many bowls with SEC tie-ins to start making moves to secure teams.
Auburn (7-5) is expected to play in the Outback Bowl, according to The Birmingham News. Tennessee (7-5) is "likely" to accept a bid in the Chick-fil-A Bowl, according to The Knoxville News Sentinel. Ole Miss (8-4), according to The Dallas Morning News, is expected to face off against Oklahoma State in the Cotton Bowl.
For more information on this story, read the Wednesday edition of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.