Devwah Whaley and his University of Arkansas team-mates will be keen to extend their unbeaten streak in bowl appearances.

The Razorbacks have won their last three bowl appearances dating back to the 2012 Cotton Bowl, the longest bowl win streak in their history.

They will look to extend their run when they travel to Charlotte, North Carolina, to face ACC Coastal Division champions Virginia Tech in the Belk Bowl at Bank of America Stadium on December 29.

It will be the first time Arkansas and Virginia Tech have met and the first time both have appeared in the Belk Bowl.

“It’s going to be a challenge playing against a team from out of the conference,” Whaley, freshman running back, said. “So we have to prepare for them and get ready for the game.”

The Belk Bowl will be Arkansas’ first game against an ACC opponent since 1995 when they played North Carolina in the CarQuest Bowl and they are the only SEC West programme to win a bowl game each of the last two years.

The Razorbacks earned their third straight bowl appearance by putting together a 7-5 record in the regular season in the SEC West that included seven games against ranked teams, including SEC East champion Florida.

“It’s always a big deal to make it to a bowl game because it means you have had a pretty good season,” Whaley said. “So for us to make it to a bowl game is a pretty big deal.

“We just have to go in there and play good football to keep that streak going.”

Reflecting upon his team’s performance during the regular season, Whaley added: “Of course we could have finished better. We know we left a lot of things on the field in a few games that we should not have.

“We could have played a lot better in those games. But obviously things happen and we just have to move and make sure it don’t happen again in the future.”

Whaley demonstrated why he is heavily tipped by ESPN’s five SEC reporters to win the conference’s Freshman of the Year Award. He rushed for 601 yards on 105 carries and had three rushing touchdowns during the regular season.

The son of former local middle-distance runner, Devoe Whaley, rushed for 50 or more yards seven times this season and also had 113 receiving yards.

He rushed for 55 yards on eight carries in his team’s regular season finale at the University of Missouri, which his team lost 28-24.

“I think I could have run for a lot more,” Whaley said. “I didn’t play the second half because of an injury.

“I bruised my knee but it is a lot better now and I will be good for the bowl game.”

The Belt Bowl will be televised live on ESPN.