Bowl game will conflict with SEC basketball opener again

Arkansas tips off against Texas A&M at Bud Walton Arena during an NCAA college basketball game in Fayetteville, Ark., Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2016.(AP Photo/Sarah Bentham)
Arkansas tips off against Texas A&M at Bud Walton Arena during an NCAA college basketball game in Fayetteville, Ark., Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2016.(AP Photo/Sarah Bentham)

— For the second consecutive season, Arkansas' football bowl game will be played at the same time as the Razorbacks' SEC basketball opener.

Arkansas' football game against Virginia Tech in the Belk Bowl on Dec. 29 will kick-off at 4:30 p.m., Central. The Razorbacks are also scheduled to play a basketball game against Florida at 6 p.m. the same day in Fayetteville.

In January, Arkansas' football team played Kansas State in the Liberty Bowl at 2:20 p.m. The Razorbacks' basketball team played a game at Texas A&M beginning at 3:30 p.m.

The SEC basketball opener was moved to December for the first time this season to accommodate the SEC/Big 12 Challenge, which will be played the final weekend of January.

Florida maybe the highest-profile opponents the Razorbacks will play at home this season. The No. 24 Gators are 7-1 overall entering a game against No. 5 Duke on Tuesday at Madison Square Garden.

Playing the football game simultaneously likely would reduce the attendance for the Florida game. Low attendances have been well-documented this season with two announced crowds of less than 5,000 at Bud Walton Arena.

Arkansas also had a conflict between the sports in 2011 when the football team played Ohio State in the Sugar Bowl while the basketball team played a game at Texas.

Upcoming Events