December 20, 2020
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – For the first time since 2016, the Arkansas Razorbacks are going to play bowling, being selected to play TCU at the Mercari Texas Bowl at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas, on Dec. 31 at 7 p.m. on ESPN.
The match against former Southwest Conference TCU rival will be the 71st in history dating back to the first meeting of 1920. The Hogs and Horned Frogs last met in 2017 as the second game in a series at home and at home. TCU No. 23 beat Arkansas at Fayetteville 28-7 in 2017. The Razorbacks defeated TCU No. 15 41-38 in a double overtime at Ft. Worth, Texas in 2016. Arkansas is the 44-24-2 all-time against the Horned Frogs.
Under first-year head coach Sam Pittman, the Razorbacks won three games against a fully SEC schedule, tripling the number of SEC victories over the last three seasons combined. Arkansas got a 20-game losing streak from the Southeastern Conference at No. 16 in the state of Mississippi to get Coach Pittman’s first win as Head Hog and followed with wins over Ole Miss and Tennessee.
Coach Pittman becomes the first Arkansas coach to lead the Razorbacks to a bowling game in his first season since Houston Nutt led the Hogs to the Florida Citrus Bowl to end the 1998 season. Pittman is only fifth. Arkansas coach to lead the Razorbacks in a bowling game in his first season at The Hill, joining Nutt, Ken Hatfield (1984), Lou Holtz (1977) and John Barnhill (1946).
The Mercari Texas Bowl will be Arkansas ’43rd bowling appearance dating back to the 1934 Dixie Classic in Dallas, a 7-7 draw against the Centenary.
Due to limited capacity at NRG Stadium, tickets will not be available through the Razorback Ticket Center. Fans interested in attending the Texas Bowl can visit mercaritexasbowl.com for ticket information.