College Football Bowls: Sugar Bowl
Allstate Sugar Bowl 8:00 pm
New Orleans, LA
Arkansas vs. Ohio State
If you told me at the beginning of the year that Arkansas and Ohio State would be playing in a BCS bowl game I would have thought the Razorbacks somehow found their way into the national title game. I also would have thought it would be a match between the Heisman trophy winner and runner-up in Tyrelle Pryor (OSU) and Ryan Mallett (UA). Both teams had great seasons but didn't have enough to make it to the big game. OSU suffered a loss when ranked number 1 and Arkansas just couldn't navigate the difficult SEC schedule, dropping 2 games. It seems the two teams are going in different directions. Everyone knows about the troubles that Ohio State suffered at the end of the year when QB Tyrelle Pryor and other key players sold some of their Big Ten-related property and received free tattoos. Arkansas finished the season with 6 straight wins, culminating in the big win of LSU. The distractions for the Buckeyes may play a role in this game. Furthermore, Ohio State is 0-9 against SEC schools in bowl games. Will this game make it 0-10? One factor may be that this is the first BCS game for Arkansas and it seems OSU plays in the BCS every year. The big stage might be routine for the Buckeyes but it is new for the Hogs. Will that play a role in the game? This is truly an intriguing match up between two great teams and quarterbacks. I think the tests that Arkansas faced every week in the SEC will provide enough experience to play in and win this game. The Hogs upend Ohio State and Ryan Mallett is the game MVP.
Winner: Arkansas
