6-6 RAZORBACKS say bowl game is earned.
FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas Coach Bret Bielema said his football team — particularly the Razorbacks’ defense — might have worn down late in Friday’s 21-14 loss against Missouri.
The Tigers outgained Arkansas 192-47 in the final period and outscored the Razorbacks 15-0 after Arkansas entered the fourth quarter with a 14-6 lead and a 241-231 advantage in total offense.
It’s possible, Bielema said, that the Razorbacks (6-6, 2-6) simply grew fatigued at the end of a grinding 12-game regular season, one that included an SEC schedule in which all eight opponents were ranked at the time they faced the Razorbacks, a first in college football.
“It’s the 12th game of the year, it’s the fourth quarter, it’s guys that have been playing all year long and you just — that pitch count, number of reps, eventually just becomes too much,” Bielema said early Friday evening outside the visiting locker room at Memorial Stadium in Columbia, Mo.
Even though the SEC might have more bowl-eligible teams than available slots on the postseason calendar, Bielema said Arkansas’ 6-6 record was worthy of placement.
“Yeah, I’d put our 6-6 football team against anybody, against a lot of teams, 8-4s or whatever they’d be and 9-3s,” Bielema said. “As we proved here today, I mean, they [the Tigers] are going to go play in Atlanta for a chance to win an SEC championship, and I bet you they don’t want to go play four quarters again, you know. I think this is a nice start to a rivalry.”
The SEC has 10 guaranteed bowl placements, as well as the possibility of one team in the first College Football Playoff. No. 4 Mississippi State’s 31-17 loss to Ole Miss on Saturday hurt the conference’s chance of getting two teams in the playoff.
Still, the SEC’s bowl-eligible teams would be attractive for bowls that aren’t able to fill their conference obligations, SEC executive associate commissioner Mark Womack said last week.
The SEC has 12 bowl-eligible teams after Tennessee earned its sixth victory Saturday, winning 24-17 against Vanderbilt in Nashville, Tenn.
The Razorbacks reached bowl eligibility with last week’s 30-0 victory over then-No. 8 Ole Miss, Arkansas’ second consecutive shutout victory against a ranked team.
“We’ve been playing good football,” Arkansas linebacker Martrell Spaight said Friday. “We just came up short today.”
Offensive tackle Brey Cook said he thought the Razorbacks “definitely” deserved a postseason slot.
“We’ve fought hard,” Cook said. “It’s been a long season. We’re ready to look forward to the next page.”
Quarterback Brandon Allen said the team’s progress has at least been rewarded with bowl eligibility.
“It’s a good feeling now, but we really wanted this one,” Allen said Friday. “We’re going to look forward to the bowl game, want to send these seniors out on a high note and send them out with a win.”
Senior defensive end Trey Flowers said there’s “no doubt” the Razorbacks are a strong bowl candidate.
“I know what we’re capable of,” Flowers said.