CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Arkansas' football season has played out like a game of yo-yo.
The Razorbacks (7-5) bring a school-record streak of alternating wins and losses into today's Belk Bowl at 4:30 p.m. against No. 22 Virginia Tech (9-4) at Bank of America Stadium.
Arkansas has followed a victory with a loss for 10 consecutive games heading into its first meeting with the Hokies, who have not lost back-to-back games either.
The Razorbacks' win-loss trend began with a 42-3 victory over Texas State on Sept. 17, which was followed by a loss to Texas A&M at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
The trend continued with a victory over Alcorn State and loss to Alabama, and carried through the season finale, when the Razorbacks let a 24-7 halftime advance turn into a stunning 28-24 loss at Missouri on the day after Thanksgiving.
The good news for Arkansas: If the streak continues today, it will mean the Razorbacks pull an upset over the Hokies, who are favored by a touchdown.
"It's been a roller-coaster season," defensive tackle Taiwan Johnson said. "We want to end it on a high note."
Senior wide receiver Drew Morgan pondered a question regarding the up-and-down nature of the Hogs' season.
"I don't know," he said. "The bad juju of the gods got us this year. Maybe it's mentality and maybe some guys get ahead of themselves after a win.
"Those types of seasons don't need to happen again here at Arkansas, because I know we're a way-better team. This is a way-better program."
Senior cornerback Jared Collins said the Razorbacks want to purge the memory of the Missouri loss.
"I definitely want to make up for that," Collins said. "Individually and as a team, I think we all want to ... end the year with a win."
Arkansas Coach Bret Bielema said he is far from satisfied with 50-50 nature of the season.
"Unfortunately, this is the way it kind of laid out," Bielema said on Dec. 19. "I told our guys I'm tired of 50-50 ball. It's like you take one step forward, one step back. I've never had that before. It's very frustrating."
Bielema proclaimed at his introductory new conference on Dec. 12, 2012, that he wanted to give the Razorbacks something they've never had. But he was talking about an SEC title, not a up-and-down run like the Razorbacks are on.
The program's longest previous in-season streak of wins followed by losses occurred 76 years ago, when the 1940 squad beat East Central (Okla.) State 38-0, then alternated losses and wins through the first six games of a 4-6-1 season.
The previous school-record streak of alternating outcomes had been eight games, but that extended over two seasons -- the final five games of the 1996 season joined with the first three games of 1997.
The Razorbacks had three streaks of alternating wins and losses for five consecutive games before the current stretch.
Junior quarterback Austin Allen said it's difficult to explain the Hogs' up-and-down nature.
"Some games we looked like no one could beat us," Allen said. "And some games I felt like we just kind of killed ourselves, and we get a little down and things don't fall our way."
Senior receiver Keon Hatcher said he only recently recognized the long string of consecutive wins and losses.
"I don't know, we just weren't consistent enough I guess," Hatcher said. "Everything was there, we just didn't make it happen."
In some ways, despite the up-and-down nature of the season, a case can be made that Arkansas has exceeded expectations.
The Razorbacks were underdogs in all three of their victories over ranked opponents -- 41-38 in double overtime at No. 15 TCU, 34-30 over No. 12 Ole Miss, and 31-10 over No. 11 Florida -- as well as its 58-42 victory at Mississippi State on Nov. 19.
Arkansas was favored in one SEC game, the season-ending loss to Missouri.
"That last taste we having coming out of our mouths in the Missouri game is not a good one," Bielema said. "We really haven't been able to shake it since.
"And for these seniors, it's the last time they'll wear a Hog on their helmet and I know that means a lot to them."
The Razorbacks are shooting for their third bowl victory in consecutive seasons, something Arkansas has never done before. Last season's victory over Kansas State in the Liberty Bowl as the first time Arkansas had ever won back-to-back bowl games.
"When people say 'Turning around the program' and things like that, three straight bowl wins, that's obviously good for the momentum going into next season," senior tight end Jeremy Sprinkle said.
Senior linebacker Brooks Ellis said the bowl preparation has been on point.yo-yo
"We have a chip on our shoulder," he said. "We have something to prove, especially for the players coming back and us seniors leaving on a high note, so that's something we've been working for."
At a glance
ARKANSAS VS. VIRGINIA TECH
WHEN 4:30 p.m. Central WHERE Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, N.C. RECORDS Arkansas 7-5; Virginia Tech 9-4 RANKINGS Virginia Tech is No. 22 in the College Football Playoff rankings, No. 18 in the Associated Press poll and No. 19 in the coaches’ poll. BETTING LINE Virginia Tech by 7 COACHES Bret Bielema (25-25 in fourth year at Arkansas, 93-49 in 11th year overall); Justin Fuente (9-4 in his first year at Virginia Tech, 35-27 in his fifth year overall) SERIES First meeting TELEVISION ESPN RADIO Razorback Sports Network, including KABZ-FM 103.7, in Little Rock; KQSM-FM 92.1, KIGL-FM 93.3, KAKS-FM 99.5 and KUOA-AM 1290 in Fayetteville; KERX-FM 95.3 in Fort Smith, Sirius-XM 80
Sports on 12/29/2016