FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas’ reward for a 10-2 season capped by a six-game winning streak was an invitation to the Allstate Sugar Bowl, the school’s first Bowl Championship Series berth.
The Razorbacks will take on Big Ten tri-champion Ohio State (11-1) on Jan. 4 at the Superdome in New Orleans.
No. 8 Arkansas and No. 6 Ohio State were first two atlarge teams selected in the BCS process.
“In going to a BCS game, it’s a tremendous accomplishment for our football team,” Arkansas Coach Bobby Petrino said. “It’s something when we came here as a staff three years ago was one of our goals.
“We’re really looking forward to wrapping up the season by representing our fans in the first BCS game in school history.”
Arkansas will make its sixth Sugar Bowl appearance, its first in 30 years. The Hogs will face the Buckeyes for the first time.
Arkansas fans, anticipating the Razorbacks’ BCS bid during the week, pre-ordered more than 24,000 bowl tickets on-line. Sugar Bowl executive director Paul Hoolahan noted the ticket demand “considerably” exceeded the allotment of 17,500 for each team.
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“We’re extremely excited to have the opportunity to bring Arkansas back to our bowl,” Hoolahan said. “Of course they haven’t been here in a number of years, but I know they’re extremely excited to come, and we’re certainly excited to have them.”
Ohio State Coach Jim Tressel, who celebrated his 58th birthday on Sunday, guided his Buckeyes to five consecutive victories to end the season after a 31-18 loss at Wisconsin.
“I’m so excited to have our team have a chance to compete against Coach Petrino and his great Razorback team,” Tressel said, noting the invitation was a nice birthday present. “Anyone that can go through the SEC and be 10-2 and have the type of season they did can be awfully, awfully proud.”
The game will pit Arkansas’ fine-tuned passing game, which ranks No. 3 nationally, against Ohio State’s No. 2 rated defense, which is also No. 4 in pass efficiency.
Petrino said on the Sugar Bowl teleconference that he mentioned the BCS possibilities to his team before their 38-31 double overtime victory at Mississippi State and he was proud the Hogs had the maturity to make it happen by winning out.
“This means everything,”Arkansas defensive end Jake Bequette said in a university release. “Our fans are the best in the country and have been with the program through it all.”
Arkansas quarterback Ryan Mallett, in the UA release, said, “As I said when I made the decision to come back, we want the Razorbacks to be among the elite teams nationally. Everyone know ever since I was a kid I wanted to be a part of an Arkansas team in a game like this and I’m thrilled for the opportunity.”
Ohio State has a 5-3 record in BCS bowl games, including a 26-17 victory over Oregon in last season’s Rose Bowl.
But the Buckeyes are 0-9 against SEC teams in bowl games, including losses to SEC teams in two of the past four BCS title games.
The Razorbacks will enter as one of the hottest teams in the land.
“I think if we had a playoff, you wouldn’t want any part of the Razorbacks,” ESPN host Rece Davis said during the BCS Selection Show on Sunday.
Sports, Pages 17 on 12/06/2010