Cotton Bowl Classic

Cotton Bowl Classic
Name	Cotton Bowl Classic
Stadium	AT&T Stadium
Location	Arlington, Texas
Previous stadiums	Cotton Bowl (Dallas)
Operated	1937–present
Conference tie-ins	College Football Playoff (semifinal years), SEC, Big 12 Conference
Previous conference tie-ins	Southwest Conference, Big Eight Conference
Sponsor	Goodyear

Cotton Bowl Classic. It is a major American college football bowl game played annually in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, traditionally on or around New Year's Day. Historically associated with the champion of the now-defunct Southwest Conference, the game has been a fixture of the postseason landscape for decades and has served as a host for the College Football Playoff semifinals. Its rich history includes numerous iconic performances and has been broadcast nationally by partners like CBS and ESPN.

History

The game was first played in 1937 at the Fair Park stadium in Dallas, initially created to showcase the champion of the Southwest Conference. For most of its history, it was a major independent bowl before joining the Bowl Coalition in 1992 and later the Bowl Championship Series in 1998. A pivotal moment occurred in 2010 when the game moved from its historic namesake venue, the Cotton Bowl (stadium), to the modern AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The game's prestige was further cemented when it was selected as a rotating host for the College Football Playoff, first hosting a semifinal following the 2014 season.

Game results

The early editions were often dominated by teams from Texas and the Southern United States, with schools like the Texas Longhorns and Texas A&M Aggies making frequent appearances. The Alabama Crimson Tide holds the record for the most victories. Notable winning coaches include Bear Bryant, Tom Osborne, and Nick Saban. The highest-scoring game occurred in 2011 when the Auburn Tigers, led by quarterback Cam Newton, defeated the Oregon Ducks. The most recent champion, as of the 2023 edition, was the Missouri Tigers.

Notable games and moments

The 1969 game, featuring a #1 vs. #2 matchup between the Texas Longhorns and Notre Dame Fighting Irish, is often cited as one of the greatest ever played. In the 1979 game, quarterback Joe Montana led the Fighting Irish to a dramatic comeback victory over the Houston Cougars. The 1994 game saw a stunning upset as the unranked North Carolina Tar Heels defeated the heavily favored Florida State Seminoles. More recently, the 2022 playoff semifinal featured a thrilling double-overtime victory by the Alabama Crimson Tide over the Cincinnati Bearcats.

Venues

For over seven decades, the game was synonymous with its original home, the Cotton Bowl (stadium) in Fair Park, Dallas. This historic stadium, which also hosts the annual Red River Showdown between Oklahoma and Texas, was the site of countless classic games. In 2010, organizers moved the event to the state-of-the-art AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, a venue owned by Jerry Jones that also hosts the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League. This relocation significantly increased the game's seating capacity and modern amenities.

Broadcasting

For many years, the game was a broadcast staple on the CBS television network, with announcers like Pat Summerall and John Madden calling the action. The broadcast rights shifted to Fox in the late 1990s before moving to their current home at ESPN in 2015 as part of the College Football Playoff television package. National radio coverage has been provided by the Westwood One network. The move to ESPN has ensured the game is featured prominently within the network's extensive College GameDay and playoff coverage.

Team selection and tie-ins

From 1941 until the dissolution of the Southwest Conference in 1995, the game had a primary contractual agreement with that league's champion. Following realignment, it established ties with the Big 12 Conference and the SEC. As a member of the College Football Playoff rotation, it now hosts a national semifinal every three years, featuring the top four teams as selected by the College Football Playoff selection committee. In non-playoff years, the game typically hosts the highest-ranked available teams from the SEC and Big 12 Conference, unless those conferences have a participant in the College Football Playoff.

Category:College football bowl games Category:Sports competitions in Dallas Category:1937 establishments in Texas