Arkansas Sports 360 - ArkansasSports360.com

1/4/2012 at 9:00am

Inevitably, the question comes up every bowl week. Football’s postseason matches up teams from different conferences and talk of the games being an opportunity for bragging rights is a natural byproduct.

This week at the Cotton Bowl is no different. No. 6 Arkansas (10-2) is here representing the SEC and No. 8 Kansas State (10-2) is here on behalf of the Big 12.

But does any of that really matter Friday at 7 p.m. when the game kicks off with Fox broadcasting? Are the players here for teams/programs only or do they care about making a larger statement on behalf of each school's conference affiliation?

This is only the second meeting the entire 2011 season between Big 12 and SEC schools. Arkansas-Texas A&M was the other and there are no other bowls matching the two leagues.

Answers from players and coaches vary anytime the question surfaces. Some dismiss the notion that something larger is at stake. Others agree they are fighting for conference pride.

Below are a few reactions to the question — one all team representatives had to know was coming. Even in being prepared for the query, it's interesting to see the variety of thoughts on the topic.

Arkansas defensive end Tenarius Wright:

"I’m not really trying to say the SEC is better than the Big 12 or anything like that. It is just mainly the No. 6 team in the nation versus the No. 8 team in the nation. The overall big thing is that we have a chance to be top five going into next season. We are very happy to be in this situation.”

 Kansas State linebacker Emmanual Lamur

“There’s hype of the Big 12 against SEC and how it’s one of the greatest matchups. They said the SEC is better than the Big 12 and they said the Big 12 is better than the SEC, so we’ll see come Friday.”

Arkansas linebacker Jerry Franklin:

“Most definitely. Any SEC team who is playing another conference, we need to represent the conference and make the conference look good. If you are an SEC team, you have to take pride in it. Everybody believes the SEC is the most dominant conference in the nation and we believe that too. So when you are playing outside the conference everyone is going to gun for us and try to prove a point.”

Kansas State co-offensive coordinator Dell Miller

“They are excited, no question about that. We think it’s a great matchup between the Big 12 and the SEC. Obviously, we have a great deal of respect for the SEC. The players are looking forward to that and certainly with the rankings, of them being No. 6 and us being No. 8, it gives us opportunity to move up with a successful outing and that’s what we’re looking for.”

Arkansas defensive end Jake Bequette:

“I don’t think there are any other SEC and Big 12 matchups (in the bowl games) so I guess we will be deciding the bragging rights between the two conferences this year. It is always an honor to play in such a great game like the Cotton Bowl and against such a great conference as the Big 12.”

ESPN's David Ubben doesn't think this game tells us much about conference superiority.

Two teams that have had success as the antithesis of their leagues will meet in this year's Cotton Bowl.

It could be a classic.

But it won't tell us much about which league is better.

So what do you think? Does conference pride matter in these games? Should it?

Tagged: Emmanual Lamur, Dell Miller, Tenarius Wright, Jerry Franklin, Jake Bequette, Kansas State Wildcats, Bobby Petrino, Arkansas Razorbacks