2011-12 Bowls: AT&T Cotton Bowl preview (Kansas St. v. Arkansas)

AT&T Cotton Bowl, (Kansas St. v. Arkansas), 8:00pm - FOX

Whew, no ACC teams. It's fun to watch teams put up 70, but when a conference is posting a Rams-esque record of 2-13 in BCS bowl play since the '98-'99 bowl season it's best just to let them sit out for a while. Meanwhile, the best conference in football offers yet another powerhouse in Arkansas against the confusing, what the hell, this isn't right, how are they winning Kansas State Wildcats. KSU beat Baylor, Texas A&M and Texas (by a combined 8 points...); on the other hand, they lost to Oklahoma by 41 and only beat Eastern Kentucky by 3... so who knows what the hell is going to happen tonight.

For the Cats, they picked up some good news last month when ILB Arthur Brown decided to return to school...unlike his brother, RB Bryce Brown, who left Tennessee to join his brother (who had transferred to Lawrence from Miami...). Bryce apparently will enter the NFL Draft despite totaling just three carries in the last two seasons. I expect he'll get some UDFA love, but without a notable performance doing something other than a pro day, don't expect anyone to throw a day 3 pick at him.

On the Hogs' side, you're looking at a roster full of NFL talent. Senior WRs Jarius Wright and Joe Adams as well as DE Jake Bequette lead the way, but they don't have the highest ceilings on the team. Junior WR Cobi Hamilton looks much more the part of an every down WR than his senior counterparts; he'd be wise to return to school to see what he could do once Adams and Wright depart. As for Bequette, while he'll get focus now, it's the offensive line that deserves attention in a year. Redshirt sophomores Travis Swanson (center) and Alvin Bailey (guard) are on the path to be top selections. Beyond this year's eligible prospects, true sophomore DT Byran Jones and frosh CB Tevin Mitchel have set up prominent careers in Fayetteville.

Rams player of interest: WR Jarius Wright, Arkansas (Sr.)

Final score: Arkansas 34, Kansas St. 30