2011 Bowl Projections: Where Do the Arkansas Razorbacks Fit into the Equation?

With Alabama and LSU slated to be in the national title game, the SEC, technically, doesn't have a representative of their conference in a BCS bowl.

That being said, since the Arkansas Razorbacks didn't win the conference anyway, they're not making another trip to the BCS, even as an at-large, because of the BCS rules.

So, where will the Razorbacks go bowling this season?

Well, the SEC has bowl tie-ins into the Cotton Bowl, Capital One Bowl, BBVA Compass Bowl, Gator Bowl, Outback Bowl, Chick-fil-A Bowl, Liberty Bowl, and Music City Bowl.

Click the link to view a full list of bowl game tie-ins.

The question is really what bowl will invite the Razorbacks in.

Right now, because of their strong 10-2 record, No. 3 SEC West and No. 4 overall SEC finish, the Cotton Bowl, Outback Bowl, and Capital One Bowl look like the most appealing games.

Of the three, the Capital One Bowl pays out the most and is arguably the most popular non-BCS bowl game.

The question of where Arkansas ends up, however, depends on where the Georgia Bulldogs play their bowl game.

The Dawgs may have finished 10-3, but they were SEC East Division champions, so technically they finished as SEC runners-up to LSU.

Now, other than the payouts and where Arkansas may play, the next concern would be the Hogs' opponent.

In the Cotton Bowl, it's likely to be the Oklahoma Sooners, which would be one exciting game as both teams have explosive offenses.

In the Outback and Capital One Bowls, the Razorbacks would face either Michigan, Michigan State, or Wisconsin from the Big Ten, depending who wins the Big Ten title and how the final BCS standings look.

So, any way you slice it, the Hogs would be facing a formidable and solid opponent who's not only appealing to them, but to college football fans all over.

And, when your three most likely bowl games are the Cotton Bowl, Outback Bowl, and Capital One Bowl, there's really no reason to complain.

When the final BCS standings are released, Arkansas will be ranked near the top 5. Add to that a big-time bowl game against a great opponent, and the Razorbacks could finish 11-2, ranked inside the top 5, and have some very impressive wins for their 2011 campaign.

And the two losses?

To LSU and Alabama.

So, watch Arkansas if you have the opportunity, because they're one damn good football team.

Follow John Rozum on Twitter @ Sportswriter27