Arkansas Business

This story is from the archives of ArkansasSports360.com.

Divisional leaders clash in the Southeastern Conference's top games this weekend, while Arkansas and Ole Miss both seek to draw closer to bowl eligibility with their brunch-time matchup in Little Rock.

Oddly, both the Razorbacks and Rebels had the week off leading up to the game. Each team's coach said Wednesday during the SEC teleconference that he was trying to get a handle on how the open weekend off might affect this week's performance.

Arkansas Coach John L. Smith said the time off helped his 3-4 team heal "the bumps and bruises" and that Tuesday's practice was very good. Ole Miss' Hugh Freeze, whose Rebels (4-3) have been a surprise this year and came up just short of shocking Texas A&M, also said his team enjoyed the week to get over injuries but that the first practice back, on Tuesday, was sluggish.

So, file that away for future reference when we see how these teams perform Saturday. Do you want your first practice after a bye week to be good or a little wanting?

Six victories are required for bowl eligibility. If Arkansas were to beat Ole Miss, the Hogs would still need two victories during their run of games with Tulsa, at South Carolina, at Mississippi State and with LSU. If Ole Miss were to win Saturday, the Rebels would need just one victory over the likes of Georgia on the road, at home against Vanderbilt, at LSU or at home against Mississippi State.

BIG CLASHES
Florida and Georgia meet in their annual clash in Jacksonville, Fla., at the Gator Bowl. CBS will carry the game at 2:30 p.m. Though South Carolina wiped out Georgia 35-7 three weeks ago, the Bulldogs can upset Florida, win out against Ole Miss and Auburn, and still return to the SEC Championship Game. Florida took care of South Carolina 44-11 last weekend in Gainesville, a week after LSU dumped South Carolina 23-21 at LSU, leaving Steve Spurrier's Gamecocks all but out of the title chase now with two losses.

Florida only has to beat Georgia to land a spot in Atlanta for the SEC title game.

While Alabama seems to be everyone's pick to win the West now, that will be closer to coming to fruition if the Crimson Tide defeats surprising Mississippi State on Saturday. ESPN will carry the matchup of unbeatens starting at 6:30 p.m. Alabama and MSU still have one-loss LSU ahead; the Bulldogs will get LSU in Starkville, while Alabama and LSU meet in Baton Rouge next week.

'NEUTRAL' SITES
Arkansas Coach John L. Smith gave a strong endorsement of the Razorbacks playing in Little Rock when he said Wednesday, "It's always good to play down there because the atmosphere is fantastic." The Hogs now play two games in the Capital City annually.

As for playing Ole Miss, Arkansas regularly played the Rebels in Little Rock or Memphis before joining the SEC, and the teams staged some classic duels. Eventually, Jackson became Ole Miss' neutral site for the Arkansas game, the last time in 1993. The Hogs and Rebels played in Little Rock for the last time in 1992, and in Memphis in 1995, but since then have played on their campuses.

Meanwhile, except for a two-year period when the Gator Bowl was undergoing renovations and the teams played on their home fields, Florida and Georgia have created what was long called "The world's largest outdoor cocktail party."

"The uniqueness of this stadium, being divided right down the middle, someone cheering at all times... it's an electric atmosphere you don't get at a home game or at someone else's home," Georgia Coach Mark Richt said.