It's Raining Cats and Hogs: Cotton Bowl Open Thread

The long, drawn out bowl season continues. After a week dominated by BCS bowls in prime time, we get a non-BCS bowl game (albeit a bowl with a storied tradition) in prime time tonight. And this one could be one worth watching.

The Kansas State Wildcats of the mighty Big 12 take on the Arkansas Razorbacks of the SEC in the AT&T Cotton Bowl at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington. The Razorbacks and Wildcats each had great seasons, with both finishing in the top eight in the final BCS standings. But neither program could grab one of the coveted slots in a BCS bowl.

Arkansas went 10-2 to finish sixth in the BCS and No. 7 in the AP rankings. The Razorbacks' only losses were to SEC rivals Alabama and LSU, who will be meeting in the BCS title game three days after the Cotton Bowl.

Kansas State also went 10-2, good for eighth in the BCS and 11th in the AP poll, losing to Big 12 foes Oklahoma and Oklahoma State. The Sooners were in the national title hunt until late November, while the Cowboys lost only once and finished third in the BCS to earn a spot in the Fiesta Bowl.

The Razorbacks were left out of a BCS bowl due to a rule that precludes three teams from a single conference from making a BCS game, and the Wildcats because the Sugar Bowl preferred Michigan and Virginia Tech.

"If we're going to have other games that are defined as the best because they're part of that system, then we probably ought to have a little bit better connect to what those rankings actually are," Kansas State athletic director John Currie said. "So either have them and use them, or just don't have them. I would be fine if we did away with the thing."

So it may not be a BCS bowl, but this one is a quality matchup of good teams with good coaches.

Cats vs. Hogs. Snyder vs. Petrino. Manhattan vs. Fayetteville. IT'S ON!

This is your Cotton Bowl Open Thread. Talk about all the action here. Comment until your heart's content about all things Cat and Hog. Enjoy the game!