Razorbacks could still go to a bowl

LITTLE ROCK (AP) _ Arkansas can still play in a bowl this year and the equation begins with a victory over LSU on Friday. <br><br>Without that, the Razorbacks do not have the six victories necessary to

Wednesday, November 22nd 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

LITTLE ROCK (AP) _ Arkansas can still play in a bowl this year and the equation begins with a victory over LSU on Friday.

Without that, the Razorbacks do not have the six victories necessary to be bowl eligible.

Even if Arkansas wins, it would take a particular set of circumstances for the Razorbacks to extend their season.

Arkansas' best bowl possibilities appear to be the Independence Bowl at Shreveport, La., on Dec. 31 and the Galleryfurniture.com Bowl at Houston on Dec. 27.

Already, the Southeastern Conference has eight bowl-eligible teams _ Florida (9-1), Auburn (9-2), South Carolina (7-4), Georgia (7-3), Tennessee (7-3), LSU (7-3), Mississippi State (7-3) and Mississippi (6-4).

The SEC has seven bowl tie-ins, including a spot in the Bowl Championship Series. The league also provides teams for bowls in Orlando, Tampa, Atlanta, Nashville, Dallas and Shreveport.

The last two years, the SEC has had two teams in the BCS, freeing a spot for another league team. That won't happen this year. The only league team in the BCS will be the winner of SEC championship game _ Florida vs. Auburn.

Where the others will play is up in the air. South Carolina, with high-profile Lou Holtz and a bunch of bowl-hungry fans, could hold the key. No matter who plays where, the Independence in Shreveport is Arkansas' only chance for a bowl with an SEC link.

Mississippi State and Mississippi play Thursday night and that could have some impact on Shreveport. If Mississippi State wins, the 8-3 Bulldogs could pique the interest of a bowl without a conference commitment, such as the Las Vegas Bowl. Mississippi has played in Shreveport the past two years and might like a change of scenery.

Houston is in the picture because the bowl is supposed to get one of the seven teams from the Big 12. If that league gets two teams in the BCS, the new bowl would be looking for a team. About the only way that will happen is if Kansas State beats Oklahoma in the conference championship game and Oklahoma gets an at-large bid to the BCS.

``We would want to try to find a team that will travel and, right now, I think the SEC may have a couple of teams that may appear to be bowl eligible ...,'' said Wayne Mueller, a promoter with the bowl in Houston.

He said an SEC team would be more attractive than a team from the Pac-10 or maybe even the Western Athletic Conference.

``I would say that if we have an at-large slot available to use we will definitely consider all bowl-eligible programs, based on who we think will give us the matchup in the game and whose fans will be most likely to travel,'' he said.

Arkansas coach Houston Nutt has tried to avoid bowl talk.

``I don't know if I even want to tell our kids this is bowl week,'' he said.

For one thing, he said, the Razorbacks were extremely relaxed last week at Starkville, Miss. A 17-point underdog, Arkansas upset then-No. 13 Mississippi State 17-10 in overtime.