Assessing Arkansas' potential bowl destination

FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas is one win from bowl eligibility with three games remaining.

The Razorbacks are the underdog Saturday night in Death Valley, but will likely be favored to win their final two games of the season against Mississippi State and Missouri at home. Odds are strong that Arkansas will win at least six regular season games.

With that in mind, below is a look at the bowl destinations Arkansas fans should keep an eye on, and how interested each could be in the Razorbacks.

First, a reminder about how the teams are selected for the bowl games. Once the New Year's Day 6 bowls have their teams in place, the Citrus Bowl gets first pick of remaining SEC teams.

Then six bowl games - the Outback, TaxSlayer (formerly Gator), Music City, Texas, Belk and Liberty - work with the conference and the schools to select participants.

Once those six bowl games are set, the Birmingham and Independence bowls pick their teams.

With TV contracts doling out millions per postseason game, ticket sales aren't as important as they used to be to the bowl's bottom line. But having a team that will bring a strong following is still important to the bowls' biggest supporters - local tourism bureaus and chambers of commerce.

Now a look at the five most-likely bowls for Arkansas this year:

Liberty Bowl, Memphis, Jan. 2, SEC vs. Big 12

A Liberty Bowl representative was in the press box for Arkansas' win over Ole Miss on Saturday.

Asked about the Razorbacks, he said the bowl was "very interested" in having Arkansas back across the river. Arkansas beat East Carolina in a frigid overtime game in Memphis six years ago, helping sell-out the game.

The Liberty Bowl has since added affiliation with the Big 12, making it an intriguing matchup between mid-level teams in power five conferences. The Big 12 may have trouble filling its entire bowl allotment this year, especially if the league puts multiple teams in the six football playoff bowls.

That means the SEC representative in Memphis may play the Big 12's worst bowl-eligible team in the Liberty Bowl. Texas, Kansas State, Texas Tech and West Virginia could all fit that description, granted they make the postseason.

Some of those matchups sell themselves.

In addition to Arkansas, Tennessee is an obvious team to watch for this bowl, as is the loser of the Egg Bowl.

Independence Bowl, Shreveport, Dec. 26, SEC vs. ACC

Arkansas has not played in this bowl game since Missouri was in the Big 12. The Razorbacks beat the Tigers there in 2003.

With its proximity to the state, Shreveport would be sure to sell plenty of tickets with Arkansas in town. The hotel rooms and slot machines might not be so fortunate because of the date and the ability to drive there in a day.

This bowl needs a strong presence after multiple years of poor showings from non-regional teams. Games between Arizona-Boston College and South Carolina-Miami were not well-attended the last two years, and the bowl has its third title sponsor in as many seasons.

Shreveport picks from the bottom of the SEC barrel. A seven-win Arkansas team isn't likely to spend Christmas there, but a 6-6 one may.

Texas Bowl, Houston, Dec. 29, SEC vs. Big 12

Not since the Southwest Conference sent its champion to Dallas has Arkansas played in the same bowl two years in a row.

The Houston Bowl was well-attended last year because of the matchup between the Razorbacks and Texas. It would take a similar one to draw as many Arkansas fans back to Houston for a second year in a row.

Like in Memphis, Arkansas vs. some lower-tier Big 12 teams could create buzz for this one. But so could those teams against Texas A&M.

Music City Bowl, Nashville, Dec. 30, SEC vs. ACC

Of the possible bowl destinations, it's hard to beat Nashville.

There are plenty of attractions there. Like in Houston, playing a bowl game in an NFL stadium is also a plus.

It's usually hard to get a read on Nashville's interest in the Razorbacks. You can get there within a few hours from eastern parts of the state, but Arkansas hasn't played in the Music City Bowl in 13 years.

Is that good or bad for this year's chances? It's hard to tell.

Like in Memphis, this bowl would be perfectly content with Tennessee, which hasn't played there in five years. Georgia, rarely an option for Nashville, and Kentucky (if bowl-eligible) may also be more attractive than Arkansas.

Birmingham Bowl, Birmingham, Dec. 30, SEC vs. American

Arkansas hasn't played a bowl game in Birmingham since 1980 and it isn't likely to change this year.

If Arkansas is one of the final two teams in the selection order, it is more likely to go to Shreveport.

If Auburn loses to Georgia and Alabama, it is the perfect choice for the game. There aren't many years this bowl is going to be able to select one of its in-state programs.