MEMPHIS -- The night before the University of Arkansas Razorbacks sullied Kansas State University's perfect .500 season, administrators, board members and VIPs of the two schools met inside the Peabody Memphis hotel's grand ballroom at the invitation of Liberty Bowl President Pat Caldwell.
The night began with cocktails and mingling inside the continental ballroom just off the mezzanine overlooking the lobby bar and atrium. About 8 p.m. hundreds of the attendees made their way to the grand ballroom for the procession of past presidents, which included the formal introduction of Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, UA Chancellor Joe Steinmetz and Athletic Director Jeff Long.
A band played soulful Top 40 covers early in the evening, but the high notes were delivered by Miss America Betty Cantrell, who sang "God Bless America," and a set by country music star Craig Morgan.
The gala is a long-standing feature of the bowl, which is one of the nation's oldest. The game itself has never featured top-ranked teams or a coveted TV time slot, but organizers demonstrate a lot of pride in the organization and pageantry of it, and the president's gala is a sterling example.
-- Photos and story by
Bobby Ampezzan
High Profile on 01/10/2016