WHEN: Wednesday, 4:30 p.m.
WHERE: Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium (58,325) in Memphis
SURFACE: AstroTurf
RECORD:S Arkansas 6-6; Kansas 6-6
STREAK: Arkansas lost 1; Kansas lost 3
COACHES: Arkansas: Sam Pittman, 18-17 in third season at Arkansas and overall in Division I; Kansas: Lance Leipold , 8-16 in second season at Kansas and 45-49 in eighth season overall in Division I.
SERIES: Kansas leads 2-0
LAST MEETING: Kansas defeated Arkansas 37-5 on Oct. 13, 1906, in Lawrence, Kan.
RADIO: HitThatLine.com or ESPN Arkansas 99.5 in Fayetteville, 95.3 in the River Valley, 96.3 in Hot Springs and 104.3 in Harrison-Mountain Home with Chuck Barrett (play-by-play), Quinn Grovey (analyst) and Gino Bell (sideline).
TELEVISION: The game will be televised on ESPN with Dave O’Brien (play-by-play), Dan Mullen (analyst) and Taylor McGregor (sideline).
WEATHER: According to the National Weather Service, Wednesday will be sunny with a high of 54 degrees in Memphis and that temperature may drop quickly as the sun sets.
BETTING LINE Arkansas is a 2.5-point favorite, according to BetOnline.ag.
Game Notes
• Arkansas makes its 44th bowl appearance in history when it takes on Kansas in the 2022 Liberty Bowl on Wednesday, Dec. 28, at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium in Memphis, Tenn. The Hogs and Jayhawks kick off at 4:30 p.m. on ESPN and you can hear the game on HitThatLine.com or ESPN 99.5 in Fayetteville, 95.3 in the River Valley, 96.3 in Hot Springs or 104.3 in Harrison-Mountain Home.
• Arkansas is playing in the Liberty Bowl for the sixth time in history, and for the first time since a 45-23 victory over Kansas State on Jan. 2, 2016. The Hogs, who are 16-24-3 all- time in bowl games, are 2-3 all-time in the Liberty Bowl.
• The Razorbacks are making their second straight bowl appearance under head coach Sam Pittman. With Pittman, the Hogs have been invited to a bowl game in three straight seasons. Pittman is one of only four Arkansas coaches in history to start their tenures with three consecutive bowl berths, joining Lou Holt, Ken Hatfield and Houston Nutt.
• Arkansas and Kansas have clashed just twice before, with the most recent meeting between the programs coming 116 years ago. The Jayhawks won, 6-0, in Fayetteville, Ark., in 1905 before snagging a 37-5 win in Lawrence, Kan., in 1906.
• QB KJ Jefferson does his damage through the air and
on the ground. Jefferson has completed 185-of-271 passes (68.3%) for 2,361 yards and 22 touchdowns with just four interceptions while rushing for 510 yards and seven scores in 10 games. Despite missing two games, he is one of only two SEC quarterbacks (Georgia QB Stetson Bennett) with 20 passing touchdowns and seven rushing scores this season.
• RB Raheim ‘Rocket’ Sanders is the Hogs’ leading rusher, totaling 1,426 yards and 10 scores on 219 carries (6.5 avg.) through 12 games. Sanders, who currently ranks second in the SEC in both rushing yards (1,426) and rushing yards per game (118.8), rushed for 100 yards on the ground in six games during the regular season. He also chipped in 28 receptions for 271 yards and two touchdowns, leading the SEC in total all-purpose yards (1,697) this season.
• WR Matt Landers, a transfer from Toledo, has logged
40 catches for a team-leading 780 yards (17.7 avg.) and a team-high seven touchdowns in 12 games. Landers, one of two Razorback pass catchers to finish the regular season with over 700 receiving yards, has 16 catches of 20 or more yards, tied for third-most among all SEC receivers this year.
• DB Dwight McGlothern, a transfer from LSU, leads the Arkansas defense with his ball-hawking prowess, recording a team-high three interceptions and breaking up nine passes during the regular season. His 12 passes defended lead the Razorbacks and are tied for sixth-most in the SEC.
Game notes and information from Arkansas Communications is included in this story.
