Jerry Jones\u2019s cavernous crown jewel in north Texas will be the site for this year\u2019s AT&T Cotton Bowl, which features the upstart Kansas State Wildcats of the Big 12 taking on the prolific Arkansas Razorbacks. There could be no shortage of scoring in this battle in the Lone Star State. <\/p>\n
AT&T Cotton Bowl Very few, if any, people were pegging Kansas State to finish second in the Big 12 Conference at the start of the season. But the dual threat of QB Collin Klein has been enough to propel the Wildcats to a January bowl game. Klein has posted 1,745 yards passing and 12 passing TDs to go along with 1,099 rush yards and a ridiculous 26 rush TDs. Clearly, Kansas State\u2019s running from the quarterback position has been devastating to opposing defenses. When Klein hasn\u2019t been shredding people, RB John Hubert has racked up 933 yards rushing. You don\u2019t have to look at many numbers to understand how the Wildcats are 109th<\/sup> in the FBS in passing but 28th<\/sup> in rushing on offense.<\/p>\n For Arkansas\u2019 part, it\u2019s been a dangerous offense right from the get-go. Starting pivot Tyler Wilson has had a really strong year (3,422 yards, a 22-6 TD\/INT ratio) and the Hogs endured profound injuries to the RB position en route to a 10-win campaign. Wide receiver Jarius Wright has been another bright star, snagging 63 balls for 1,029 yards and 11 TDs. Also, with the exception of a 38-spot dropped on them by Alabama and a 41-17 loss to LSU in their last game, the Arkansas defense has been very respectable. The combination has resulted in a strong team that would have been even stronger had they played in any other division or conference in the nation \u2013 being lumped in with LSU, \u2019Bama and Auburn ain\u2019t easy.<\/p>\n Convention speaks to Arkansas cruising to victory in this one \u2013 it has a more impressive body of work in a far more difficult conference. But \u201cconventional\u201d is the last way you would describe Kansas State\u2019s 2011 season. The Wildcats did not fare well against any opponents from the state of Oklahoma, but other than that they won out. [soliloquy id=”82219″]<\/p>\n They lost to Oklahoma State 52-45 and then won a four-OT thriller versus Texas A&M 53-50. Some of KSU\u2019s results have more resembled the score of a college basketball game than a gridiron match. Klein, an unassuming 6\u201d5, 226-lb junior kid from Loveland, Colorado, is skittering around and putting up a season reminiscent more of Michigan\u2019s Denard Robinson than a signal-caller in Manhattan, KS.<\/p>\n Hence, I feel the Wildcats are a bit of an uncertain variable. Klein should be able to rip off at least some big gainers against the Hogs\u2019 \u201cD\u201d, but the Kansas State defense better also look out for a multi-talented, multi-faceted Arkansas attack. The Hogs haven\u2019t had a problem scoring on anyone this season \u2013 don\u2019t expect that to change against Kansas State\u2019s 70th<\/sup>-ranked unit. The Wildcats have surely had more than their share of luck \u2013 they\u2019ve just skirted by Eastern Kentucky (not a misprint), Baylor, Miami, Missouri, Texas Tech and Iowa State this season. Arkansas, on the other hand, has steamrolled some good teams and play in the SEC West.<\/p>\n Games are not played on paper and there is seldom much convention in college football \u2013 much less bowl season \u2013 but there is just too much logic that points to Arkansas being the deserved favorite in the AT&T Cotton Bowl. I would love to see how good Arkansas could have been, had it played in the Big 12 or the ACC.<\/p>\n
\nKansas State Wildcats (10-2) vs. Arkansas Razorbacks (10-2)
\nFriday, Jan. 6, 2012, 8 pm EST
\nCowboys Stadium, Arlington TX
\nBetting Lines from Sportsbook.com
\nMoneyLine: Kansas St +255, Arkansas -310
\nSpread: Kansas St +8, Arkansas -8
\nOver\/Under: 62.5<\/strong><\/p>\n