3 Things to know about Liberty Bowl

FAYETTEVILLE — The University of Arkansas and Texas Tech will face each other in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl on Friday, Dec. 27, in Memphis.

The game will be televised on ESPN and has a 6 p.m. kickoff. Texas Tech (8-4) enters having beaten both teams that played in the Big 12 Championship Game this past Saturday. Arkansas (6-6) owns a win over Tennessee who is in the College Football Playoffs.

Here’s three quick hits on things to know about the Liberty Bowl.

Texas Tech Has Different Rule on Portal Entrants

At Arkansas if a player is in the transfer portal they aren’t allowed to play in the bowl game. Texas Tech Coach Joey McGuire allows players who have entered the transfer portal to play in the game. That is a complete different approach from Sam Pittman. Certainly helps the Red Raiders’ chances of winning the game.

Heading to NFL Draft

Arkansas has at least three players who are seniors and out of eligibility who will skip the bowl game to concentrate on the NFL Draft. They are wide receiver Andrew Armstrong, defensive end Landon Jackson and defensive tackle Eric Gregory. The status of senior running back Ja’Quinden Jackson is also unknown.

Armstrong topped the Hogs with 78 receptions for 1,140 yards and 1 touchdown. Jackson had 49 tackles, 28 solo, 6.5 sacks, 3 pass breakups, 1 forced fumble and 1 recovered fumble. Gregory finished with 43 tackles, 16 solo, 3 sacks and 1 pass breakup.

Jackson was Arkansas’ leading rusher. Despite battling injuries, Jackson rushed 149 times for 790 yards and 15 touchdowns. He caught 13 passes for 139 yards.

The status of Texas Tech star running back Tajh Brooks, who is a senior, is also unknown. He rushed 286 times for 1,505 yards and 17 touchdowns this season. He also grabbed 28 passes for 199 yards and 1 touchdown.

Missing Assistants

Texas Tech will be missing both its offensive and defensive coordinators as well as the secondary coach. The two defensive coaches were fired and the offensive coordinator took a head coaching job elsewhere. Pittman was the one missing his defensive coordinator when the Hogs beat Kansas in the Liberty Bowl in 2022. Barry Odom had accepted a head coaching job at UNLV. Odom was named the new coach at Purdue on Sunday. Offensive coordinator Zach Kittley is the new head coach at Florida Atlantic. Defensive coordinator Tim DeRuyter and secondary coach Marcel Yates are the departed defensive coaches in Lubbock.