LITTLE ROCK -- As sports information director at the University of Arkansas, Kevin Trainor has a couple of unpublished numbers for the Razorback ticket office.

First thing Monday, he got a busy signal just like the public dialing 982-HOGS.

"The phones are ringing off the hook," said ticket manager Mark Scobey.

Arkansas vs. No. 10 Oklahoma in the Jan. 1 Cotton Bowl is a hot ticket.

Before the office opened, more than 100 students lined up to buy the $70 tickets. Inside, 500 ticket orders were on the fax.

"People are very enthusiastic about going to Dallas," Scobey said.

"It was the kind of thing we expected, but it goes to show the enthusiasm Razorback fans have for Dallas and the Cotton Bowl," Trainor said.

Until Saturday night, it looked like Arkansas (7-4, 4-4 SEC) was headed for the Dec. 27 Independence Bowl in Shreveport, La. That was before LSU beat Tennessee 31-20 in the SEC championship game and moved out of the Cotton Bowl and into the Sugar Bowl.

United in their support for LSU, more than two dozen Razorbacks watched the SEC championship game at the home of teammate Scott Summers. After the game, the players started calling the hogs in the front yard.

Even though No. 16 Georgia (8-3) was available when it came time for the Cotton Bowl to pick its SEC team, officials opted for the unranked Razorbacks. First of all, the Cotton is positioned as an SEC Western Division bowl even though Tennessee played in Dallas last January.

Arkansas' years in the Southwest Conference helped, as did the huge throng that traveled to Dallas two years ago when a 7-4 Arkansas team beat Texas 27-6. Plus, Arkansas fans want to go to Dallas.

"People have their favorite restaurants, places they used to go," Trainor said. "They remember going to Dallas for the Southwest Conference basketball tournament. In many ways, it's a trip down memory lane for a lot of our fans."

In light of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, driving to a bowl appeals to many. Again, a plus for Arkansas -- a 5½-hour drive from Little Rock to Dallas.

All those factors add up to ticket sales.

Each school gets 12,500 tickets and can ask for more. "We will ask for more," Trainor said. He said he expects at least 20,000 Arkansas fans.

The University of Arkansas ticket office said Monday that it already had received orders for more than 14,000 tickets to the New Year's Day event.

For certain, the Cotton Bowl surprised some Georgia officials. Despite their record and ranking, the Bulldogs wound up in the Music City Bowl.

"This wasn't among the plans we had expected," said Georgia athletic director Vince Dooley.

"They didn't have to pick us, so let's make the most of it," Arkansas coach Houston Nutt told his players who attended the bowl news conference.

Going against Oklahoma puts Arkansas in an enviable situation. As a two-touchdown underdog, the Razorbacks have a free shot at a Top 10 team only a year removed from a national championship.

"We have an awesome respect for Oklahoma," Nutt said.