Arkansas looks for eight-win season with Liberty Bowl victory

AutoZone Liberty Bowl
Kansas State (6-6) vs. Arkansas (7-5)
Memphis
Jan. 2, 2016

Both Kansas State and Arkansas had to rally to get to this game.

Arkansas started the season 2-4 and went 5-1 in the final half of the season to finish with seven wins for the second consecutive year. Kansas State won its final three games of the season, including a dramatic 24-23 win against West Virginia in the regular season finale, to get to six wins.

Of the two teams, Arkansas has the been the more impressive side. The Razorbacks have upset victories against Ole Miss and LSU and are in line to reach eight wins for the first time since winning 11 games in 2011.

Arkansas’ offense has been a bit of a mixed bag. While both the running game and the passing game have played well this season, they’ve rarely played well at the same time. Against Ole Miss and Mississippi State, the passing game accounted for more than 400 yards in each contest. Against LSU, the running game had its best performance with 299 yards.

Regardless of how it gets done, the Arkansas offense seems to find what works and continues to roll with it regardless of the stats. Against Kansas State, anything might work since the Wildcats have struggled mightily on the defensive end. Kansas State is allowing 443 yards per game and 30.3 points per game. The rushing defense has been better than the passing defense, but neither has been much to brag about.

Still, Kansas State has found ways to win games, though three of the Wildcats’ wins came against FCS or Group of Five competition and two came against teams that combined for two victories. Kansas State’s win against 7-5 West Virginia was by far its most impressive feat of the year.

However, the Wildcats didn’t get blown out too often. Even though they allowed an average of 42.7 points in those losses, the average margin of defeat was 16.3 points and that number was skewed by a 55-0 loss to Oklahoma.

Arkansas coach Bret Bielema will be facing former mentor, Kansas State coach Bill Snyder, for the first time in his career, a situation that Snyder doesn’t enjoy.

“It’s not my favorite thing to do, to play against or compete against coaches that have been through our program,” Snyder said. “It’s not for the reason that maybe they know something you don’t want them to know. It’s the human element of it more than anything else.”

Picks

Graham: Arkansas has been hot lately and Kansas State has one win against a Power Five team with a winning record. This game could get ugly. Arkansas 39, Kansas State 14.

Nick: Can you find two coaches in a bowl game on more extreme ends of the personality spectrum than Bill Snyder and Bret Bielema? Kansas State has persevered throughout the 2015 season, but Arkansas is way too talented. Arkansas 31, Kansas State 20.

Sam: Just like it did last year, Arkansas played pretty well down the stretch. Kansas State barely reached six wins. I see no reason to pick against Bret Bielema’s squad. Arkansas 31, Kansas State 17.

For more Arkansas news, HawgSports.com.

For more Kansas State news, visit GoPowerCat.com.

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Graham Watson is the editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email her at [email protected] or follow her on Twitter! Follow @YahooDrSaturday

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