Bowl situation up in the air for Arkansas

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) _ Arkansas' bowl situation is in a state of flux and may be until next weekend, Razorback coach Houston Nutt said Saturday. <br><br>``There is no `you are going here,'''

Saturday, November 25th 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) _ Arkansas' bowl situation is in a state of flux and may be until next weekend, Razorback coach Houston Nutt said Saturday.

``There is no `you are going here,''' he said. ``A lot of it is going to depend on what happens in these championship games.''

From Arkansas' standpoint, the most important championship game will be Kansas State vs. Oklahoma in the Big 12. If Kansas State beats Oklahoma and both teams get into the Bowl Championship Series, there could be a spot for Arkansas opposite East Carolina in the Galleryfurniture.com Bowl in Houston on Dec. 27.

``My feeling is that the thing that is so good is that you are sitting here 6-5 when you could've been easily something else,'' Nutt said. ``You feel good that it will help recruiting and help everything.''

Arkansas became bowl-eligible by beating Mississippi State 17-10 in overtime and LSU 14-3 on Friday. Both opponents were nationally ranked at the time.

``You know that there are some bowls out there that know Arkansas will travel well and represent that town in the right way and all of those things,'' Nutt said. ``Wherever they want us, we would love to go.''

In addition to Houston, the most likely prospect for the Razorbacks appears to be the Las Vegas Bowl on Dec. 21, where the opponent would probably be Nevada-Las Vegas, perhaps Air Force.

He said the players are optimistic about landing a bowl bid.

``I hope they aren't disappointed,'' he said. ``But the one thing you feel good about even if we don't get invited is the turnaround, to end on a winning note with a winning season for the third straight season. We just hope that there is just one place, one bowl that would love to have some people in red show up.''

The Southeastern Conference, with seven bowl tie-ins, has eight teams with at least seven victories each. Mississippi could wind up in Hawaii, but the league cannot bump one of the other teams to make room for Arkansas.

``We are still going to crack the whip and get after it when we have a chance to get after it if we have a chance to go to a bowl,'' Nutt said. ``Once we find out what the situation is we will make our plans.''

Nutt also said he would be fired up about the players Arkansas redshirted this year if they get to participate in the additional 15 practices that go along with a bowl game. In particular, he mentioned Lawrence Richardson, Lee Hayes and Shane Collins.

He said the players would get in the weight room this week and would concentrate on school.

Nutt also said the coaches are already out recruiting. ``We can be in homes now starting on Sunday night,'' he said. ``They will be out all week.''