UW to Play Arkansas in Capital One Bowl
December 03, 2006 | Football
Almost two weeks after accepting an invitation to play in the Capital One Bowl Jan. 1 in Orlando, Fla., the University of Wisconsin football team (11-1, 7-1 Big Ten) today learned its opponent will be Arkansas (10-3, 7-1 SEC).
'We're excited to play the University of Arkansas,' UW head coach Bret Bielema said. 'We knew whoever came on the plate this year was going to present an excellent opportunity (for us to play a top team). Outside of the BCS mix, I 'm sure this is a very exciting match-up for everybody.'
The Badgers, ranked sixth in the AP Poll and fifth in the USA Today/Coaches Poll, have played the No. 12/13 Razorbacks just once, a 64-7 triumph in 1912. Wisconsin will be meeting an opponent from the SEC in a bowl game for the fourth consecutive year.
Arkansas' losses were to then-No. 4 Florida in the SEC championship game, as well as to then-No. 6 Southern California and then-No. 9 LSU en route to a first-place finish in the SEC Western Division. To their credit, the Razorbacks beat then-No. 2 Auburn and then-No. 13 Tennessee this season.
'They're very, very versatile,' Bielema said. 'From a defensive standpoint (for us), they're going to present a lot of challenges because they have so many players that do so many things so well.'
Kickoff for the Capital One Bowl will be at noon CT. UW will make its second straight appearance and second appearance overall in the bowl, while Arkansas also will play in the bowl for the second time, with the other being a 45-31 loss to Michigan in 1999.
