FAYETTEVILLE -- Arkansas football Coach Bret Bielema has made it clear. A 6-6 regular season isn't the goal in the coming years.
For the 2014 season however, a three-game improvement that resulted in a 6-6 mark and a Texas Bowl berth in Houston on Monday against Texas, can be seen as a significant step.
Texas Bowl
Arkansas vs. Texas
WHEN 8 p.m. Central Monday
WHERE NRG Stadium, Houston
RECORDS Arkansas 6-6, Texas 6-6
SERIES Texas leads 56-21
TV ESPN
Arkansas faced the toughest conference schedule of any SEC team -- playing all six teams in the West when they were ranked in the polls as well as the East's two top teams, who were also ranked when the games were played.
The Razorbacks can rue narrow decisions by a touchdown or less against No. 6 Texas A&M, No. 7 Alabama, No. 1 Mississippi State and No. 17 Missouri -- games in which they were ahead or tied to start the fourth quarter -- but they can also be cheered this Christmas Day by earning the distinction as the first unranked team to shut out consecutive ranked opponents: 17-0 over No. 17 LSU and 30-0 over No. 8 Ole Miss.
Some analysts examined Arkansas' murderer's row schedule and could not pinpoint a conference victory for the rebuilding Hogs. Now, 2015 looms after this Texas Bowl appearance with plenty of promise.
"I'm really pleased with the progress of Coach Bielema and this staff," Arkansas Athletic Director Jeff Long said. "There were games that we were very close in, but to me, we're still in that building process.
"Where we are today I'm very pleased with. I think fans should know too what's going on behind the scenes. ... What Bret Bielema and his staff does with discipline, accountability, focus on academics, focus on character, that's important. I like the way he's building the winner with those things in place. We're certainly excited to have him here and pleased with his development of our team and look forward to the future years."
Defensive end and team captain Trey Flowers, who opted to return for his senior season rather than declare for the NFL Draft, endured heartache with Arkansas' SEC losing streak reaching 17 games before the victory over LSU.
"I was thinking about it over the little break we had," Flowers said earlier in December. "Just knowing I came here and I had a chance to leave but I came back. This is the reason I came back, just to help turn this program around and just to see and to fulfill the successful fruits of the program. So it was definitely big time."
Bielema kept the Razorbacks in town for Christmas with Monday's Texas Bowl coming so quickly after the holiday, when travel plans for players heading to and from home could have been snarled or delayed for any number of reasons.
The decision was fine with tackle Dan Skipper.
"Great," Skipper said. "Play to win. That's all that matters."
Quarterback Brandon Allen said Bielema and the staff's team-bonding plans like a brunch, bowling and movies would be meaningful.
"I think it'll be fine," Allen said of having Christmas in Fayetteville. "This is basically our second family up here, and I think a lot of guys, while they'd like to see their family, are glad to be here with their second family."
The Razorbacks delivered themselves and their fans perhaps the best Christmas gift of the past three years: a bowl berth that has added extra practices for younger players, more time together and a platform to help in recruiting and the start of 2015.
"You know that's one of the big rewards of playing in a bowl game is being able to develop the talent within your current roster," defensive coordinator Robb Smith said. "I think our guys have embraced that."
Asked to identify their favorite moment of the season, most Arkansas players selected the streak-breaking 17-0 victory over LSU on a cold night at Reynolds Razorback Stadium on Nov. 15.
"The biggest moment was seeing my seniors leave with a 'W' against LSU," sophomore defensive tackle Darius Philon said.
"I'd have to say the LSU game," said cornerback Jared Colins. "Going across the field and getting that Boot was big for me."
Offensive coordinator Jim Chaney was asked if he anticipated a good Christmas atmosphere.
"Every Christmas is a good Christmas," he said. "The Chaney family has been very blessed with a lot of good friends and a lot of good times. We have a lot to be thankful for."
Sports on 12/25/2014