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Back in Capital One Bowl, Wisconsin plays Arkansas

Jan 1, 2007 - 2:56 PM No. 12 Arkansas (10-3) vs. No. 6 Wisconsin (11-1) January 1 Capital One Bowl 1:00 pm EST

ORLANDO, Florida (Ticker) -- Sixth-ranked Wisconsin aims for its first 12-win season when it takes on No. 12 Arkansas in the Capital One Bowl on Monday.

The Badgers (11-1) won 11 games in a regular season for the first time - in their first campaign under coach Bret Bielema, no less.

Wisconsin went 7-1 in the Big Ten Conference to tie for second in the league with Michigan, which handed the Badgers their sole loss, 27-13, on September 23.

But because three teams from the same conference cannot all receive berths to BCS bowls, the Badgers had to settle for a second straight appearance in the Capital One Bowl. Last season, Wisconsin defeated Auburn here, 24-10.

Behind All-American tackle Joe Thomas, a likely top-five NFL draft pick, redshirt freshman P.J. Hill finished fifth in the nation in rushing at 127.75 yards per game. Hill also ran for 15 touchdowns.

Like Wisconsin, Arkansas (10-3) just missed out on a BCS bowl berth.

A surprise winner of the Southeastern Conference West Division after going 7-1 in league play, the Razorbacks lost to Florida in the conference title game, 38-28, and saw the Gators and Louisiana State earn BCS nods. Arkansas lost to LSU, 31-26, the week before falling to Florida.

The SEC Coach of the Year, Houston Nutt had his contract extended through 2012 after the end of the regular season.

The Razorbacks are paced by electrifying sophomore tailback Darren McFadden, who finished 10th in the nation in rushing (119.85). McFadden, who rushed for 14 TDs, frequently received snaps out of a shotgun formation late in the season.

Sophomore Casey Dick and true freshman Mitch Mustain have split time working with the first time in practice leading up to the game.

In the only previous meeting, Wisconsin routed Arkansas, 64-7, in 1912.