Tulsa World: Razorbacks not content with being bowl eligible

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Razorbacks not content with being bowl eligible
Arkansas gunning for bigger bowl as it prepares for Troy.

Arkansas quarterback Ryan Mallett is 152 yards shy of the school's single-season passing record. Beth Hall/Associated Press

By NOAH TRISTER AP Sports Writer
Published: 11/14/2009 2:26 AM
Last Modified: 12/21/2009 1:58 PM

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Now that Arkansas is on the verge of becoming bowl eligible, the Razorbacks are aiming higher. It can't be just any bowl.

That's the way tight end D.J. Williams sees it.

"If we win one more game, we'll be bowl eligible," he said. "If we win three more, it will put us in a better spot. We're going to come out, try to win this one, and stay focused for the rest of the year and try to win the last three to put us in a better bowl game."

After beating South Carolina last week, the Razorbacks need only one win in their last three regular season games to qualify for the postseason. That stretch starts against Troy on Saturday night in Arkansas' final game of the year in Fayetteville.

After missing the postseason a season ago, the Hogs (5-4) will welcome a trip to any bowl. A 6-6 Arkansas team might end up in the Liberty Bowl. At 8-4, the Razorbacks might be in the running for the Cotton Bowl, which is where they went two years ago.

What all that means is Arkansas can't afford to overlook anyone down the stretch, least of all a Troy team that has won seven straight games.

"They're a good team. They produce good athletes," Williams said. "They're not coming into Fayetteville expecting to lose, They're expecting to win."

Troy (7-2) leads the Sun Belt Conference and has already played one SEC team, although that was a 56-6 loss to Florida. Trojans quarterback Levi Brown leads the Sun Belt in passing.

Troy has played at a high level for long enough that the Trojans aren't likely to be intimidated by the Razorbacks.

"That's actually one of our preseason goals, was to beat one of the big schools we faced," Brown said. "This is our last chance to do that. Obviously our big goal is to win the conference and go to (the New Orleans Bowl), but we also have other goals and this is one of them."

After beating Eastern Michigan and South Carolina, Arkansas will try for its first three-game winning streak under Petrino, who took over the Razorbacks before the 2008 season.

Arkansas quarterback Ryan Mallett is 152 yards shy of the school's single-season passing record. The Razorbacks have also been pleased with the performance of running back Broderick Green, who has contributed a lot the last couple weeks as Michael Smith recovered from an injury.

Green is in his first season at Arkansas after transferring from Southern California.

"Unfortunately in camp he got pneumonia and missed a bunch of work," Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino said. "We just had to continue to keep giving him reps in practice, keep teaching him the offense and make sure he understood all the pass protections. ... He has worked really hard."

By NOAH TRISTER AP Sports Writer

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The Masked Assassin, Parts Unknown (11/14/2009 3:44:38 PM)

Crickets.....

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