Arkansas to play Kansas State in the Liberty Bowl
Twelve years ago, Bret Bielema was Kansas State’s defensive coordinator. Now he’ll be the Wildcats’ opponent.
Bielema and his Arkansas Razorbacks (7-5) will play Kansas State (6-6) in the Liberty Bowl on Jan. 2, 2016 in Memphis. The kickoff is set for 3:20 p.m. ET.
Arkansas vs. Kansas State in Liberty
— Brett McMurphy (@McMurphyESPN) December 6, 2015
Bielema will battle one of his old mentors, longtime Kansas State coach Bill Snyder. Bielema served as Snyder’s defensive coordinator from 2002-03, and helped the Wildcats win the Big 12 championship in 2003.
The Liberty Bowl is the closest SEC-affiliated bowl to Arkansas’ campus. The game is a 323-mile drive from Reynolds Razorback Stadium.
Arkansas will try to close out the season with its eighth win. The Razorbacks started 2-4, but have gone 5-1 since then, including wins over ranked opponents Ole Miss and LSU. The 53-52 overtime win over Ole Miss denied the Rebels a spot in the SEC Championship Game. Arkansas last reached eight wins in 2011.
Kansas State has been an up-and-down team this year. The Wildcats started the season 3-0, lost six straight games, then closed out the season with another three-game winning streak. They average 30.5 points per game, while giving up 28.4 points a contest. Kansas State’s offense is led by dual threat quarterback Joe Hubener, who has thrown for 1,837 yards and nine touchdowns, while rushing for 613 yards and a team-high 13 touchdowns.
The game will be shown on ESPN.