Cotton Bowl: Missouri vs. Arkansas

Analysis
Missouri got screwed out of a BCS bowl bid. There, we said it. Now we can get on with previewing what should be a heck of a matchup between one of the nation’s best passing attacks and one of the most dangerous ground games.

Darren McFadden and Chase Daniel have become two of the nation’s highest-profile juniors and were both on the short list for the Heisman Trophy. Daniel leads a potent Missouri offense surrounded by playmakers like tight ends Chase Coffman and Martin rusher, running back Tony Temple and slash-back Jeremy Maclin. The Tigers routinely put up 40 points on their opponents and lost to only one team this year — Oklahoma.

Arkansas counters Missouri’s spread offense with its own unique formation — the Wild Hog, which puts McFadden at quarterback beside fellow standout back Felix Jones. The Razorbacks’ offense was on full display in its season-ending upset of No. 1 LSU and it’s hard to predict anything less in the Cotton Bowl.

The point totals could get out of hand in this one with both offenses running all over the field. While its difficult to say how much the Houston Nutt coaching change will factor in for Arkansas, or the BCS snub will play into the mind of Missouri, the talent standing on this field should make for an entertaining start to 2008.

Breakdown: Missouri
Campus Location: Columbia, Mo.
Distance to Dallas: 604 miles
All-Time Bowl Game Record: 10–14
2007 Season: 11–2, 7–1 Big 12

NCAA Rankings (yards/points per game totals):
Rush Offense: 46 (165)
Pass Offense: 7 (328)
Scoring Offense: 7 (40)
Rush Defense: 26 (119)
Pass Defense: 100 (261)
Scoring Defense: 44 (25)
Turnover Margin: 14 (0.85)

Additional Notes:
This is the first New Year’s Day bowl game for the Tigers since 1970 (Orange Bowl) … Missouri will play in a bowl game for the third consecutive year, the first time that’s happened since 1978-1981 … Missouri has wins over two teams playing in BCS bowls — Illinois and Kansas … Jeremy Maclin set a new freshman record for all-purpose yards and ranks second in the nation overall at 208.69 yards per game.

Breakdown: Arkansas
Campus Location: Fayetteville, Ark.
Distance to Dallas: 333 miles
All-Time Bowl Game Record: 11–21–3
2007 Season: 8–4, 4–4 Conference

NCAA Rankings (yards/points per game totals):
Rush Offense: 3 (297)
Pass Offense: 112 (161)
Scoring Offense: 9 (40)
Rush Defense: 54 (147)
Pass Defense: 36 (211)
Scoring Defense: 49 (26)
Turnover Margin: 26 (0.50)

Additional Notes:
Interim head coach Reggie Herring will guide the Razorbacks in their 11th Cotton Bowl appearance … Arkansas’ last bowl victory came in the 2003 Independence Bowl against — you guessed it — Missouri … Both Darren McFadden and Felix Jones rushed for over 1,000 yards this season. McFadden ranks fourth in rushing yards per game (143.75) while Jones ranks 40th (90.08) …

Prediction: Arkansas by 2