LITTLE ROCK — It was a much-debated argument until a review of Dennis Johnson’s fumble came back negative.
The replay in the stadium and photographs showed his back hit the turf before he fumbled, which was what was initially ruled. The review official, needing an immediate eye check, overturned the call and LSU drove for a touchdown and 21-14 halftime lead.
The Tigers never looked back.
Not one of the 93,108 in attendance, or the millions watching on television, knew it, but the game was over.
And so was the talk of whether the Arkansas Razorbacks would jump over LSU in the Bowl Championship Series standings and play for the national title.
It really shouldn’t have been discussed.
If the Hogs had beaten LSU then the answer should always be, regardless of teams, the best team on the field advances. Saturday’s game with the Tigers was a one game playoff.
Now the Hogs turn their attention to a major bowl, just not BCS.
Of the 120 teams who can qualify for the BCS bowls, only 10 make it.
The Razorbacks did last season and the fans loved it so much they can’t wait to get back. And they will, but it won’t be this January.
This January, the Razorbacks should be playing in either the Cotton Bowl in Cowboys Stadium or the Capital One Bowl in Orlando, Fla.
It is up to the bowls and the SEC office as to who goes to which bowl. So the Razorbacks won’t lobby for or against any bowl; all it would do is hurt someone’s feelings.
It probably didn’t help the Hogs with the Cap One folks that they lost 41-17 and were outscored 41-3 after leading 14-0.
The Cotton would love to have the 10-2 Hogs play Kansas State, or maybe Oklahoma.
Cotton pickers know that despite the disappointment of Friday the Razorbacks Nation would support a game in Arlington, Texas, with about 30,000 fans to 10,000 in Orlando.
The Dallas Metroplex has always been a comfort zone for Razorbackers. They have their favorite hotels, restaurants and shopping malls.
The main thing is that the Hogs have qualified for a top-tier bowl, and with 13 starters back for next season, not including punter Dylan Breeding and placekicker Zach Hocker, who are weapons, too, it is just the beginning.
Things are going to change, though, with Texas A&M and Missouri coming into the league.
Don’t expect to see the Razorbacks and Aggies meeting in Cowboys Stadium anymore.
Athletic Director Jeff Long can’t have two “home” conference games away from Reynolds Razorback Stadium. If the Hogs are going to have the exposure in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, a new non-conference opponent, probably from Texas, will have to be found.
No doubt a TCU, Baylor or perhaps SMU or Houston would bring a large crowd to see a game with the Hogs, especially now that they are a top 10 program. And that’s what they are despite what happened in Baton Rouge.
The regular season may have ended in a disappointing manner, especially with hopes and dreams soaring in the days leading up to the game with LSU, but the program just hit a speed bump, not a dead end.
(LSU probably became more of a rival with Bobby Petrino apparently calling Les Miles a name during the heat of the game.)
Considering the loss to Alabama and narrow victories over Texas A&M, Ole Miss and Vanderbilt, it seemed a long shot for the Razorbacks to be part of the national championship game debate.
Overall, start to finish, this season, like last season, was an exciting, fun-to-watch football festival.
There are more than 100 teams that would have loved to been in Arkansas’ position Friday. They had a shot but ran into a better team, which is No. 1 in the nation for a reason.
Sports, Pages 27 on 11/27/2011