As college football inches closer to the start of the bowl season, the number of players who are officially opting out of the bowl shenanigans is already beginning to grow. While there is no word on any Penn State players choosing to skip the bowl game this season just yet, one key player for the Arkansas Razorbacks has decided he will not play in the Outback Bowl.
Treylon Burks, Arkansas’ leading receiver for the past three seasons, has announced he will not participate in the Outback Bowl against Penn State. In a message posted to his Twitter account on Wednesday afternoon, Burks confirmed he will begin the process of entering the NFL draft next spring.
Burks had 1,104 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns this season for the Razorbacks. He also had 820 receiving yards and seven touchdowns for Arkansas in just nine games in 2020, and he was the leading receiver for Arkansas as a freshman in 2019.
Burks was the third-leading receiver in the SEC in average receiving yards per game in 2021 with 92.0 yards per game. His touchdown total of 11 was tied for second in the SEC with Brock Bowers of Georgia and trailed only Alabama’s Jameson Williams (15).
The highlight of the season for Burks may have been his 179 yards and two touchdowns in a 42-35 loss to Alabama late in the regular season.
Simply put, this is a big offensive weapon that will be missing for the Razorbacks, which is not ideal for Arkansas given the Penn State defense and secondary that will be lining up on the other side of the line of scrimmage.
But it remains to be seen if Penn State will have any players choose not to play in the bowl game as well. Jahan Dotson, Penn State’s top wide receiver, would seem to be the most important offensive player to watch as he is projected to be a possible first-round draft pick in next spring’s NFL draft. And Penn State’s defense will have some players to keep an eye on as bowl game opt-outs become official.
God’s Plan❤️ pic.twitter.com/W3IsS4ValL
— Treylon Burks (@TreylonBurks) December 8, 2021
Penn State has never faced Arkansas in football before, so the Outback Bowl meeting will be the first for the Nittany Lions and Razorbacks. Penn State faces Arkansas in the Outback Bowl on January 1, 2022 at 12:00 p.m. ET.
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