TICKETS THE CLASSIC FAN ZONE AT&T STADIUM MEDIA PORTAL
NEWS RELEASES
December 2014
Spartans Spend Second Day at AT&T Stadium
No. 8 Michigan State put in serious work with a two-and-a-half hour practice in full pads at AT&T Stadium in preparation for its Jan. 1 matchup with No. 5 Baylor in the 79th Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic.
“(It was a) good practice, just getting our legs back underneath us,” said head coach Mark Dantonio. “It was a long practice, which we’re going to need to play well in the game on Thursday.”
The Spartans (10-2, 7-1 Big Ten) got back at it on the heels of assistant head coach/defensive coordinator Pat Narduzzi being named head coach at Pittsburgh a day earlier.
Baylor Makes Itself at Home at AT&T Stadium Practice
Baylor returned to its home away from home Saturday, going through its first AT&T Stadium practice for the 79th Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic.
The Bears (11-1, 8-1 Big 12), who have played in AT&T Stadium five consecutive seasons, worked for one hour and 45 minutes in preparation for their game Friday against Michigan State (10-2, 7-1 Big Ten).
Head Coach Art Briles said the team’s energy was “pretty good.”
“I thought our focus was good,” Briles said.
Michigan State Takes North Texas by Storm
No. 8 Michigan State made the trek from the friendly confines of East Lansing to the unfamiliar territory of North Texas on Friday for the 79th Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic.
The MSU contingent of players, coaches, support staff, athletic administrators and their families were welcomed to their Classic week home by a small but excited crowd of Spartan fans, the Townview Big “D” Band and Cotton Bowl Athletic Association officials.
"To have Michigan State down here being part of this venue is very exciting for us,” said head coach Mark Dantonio.
Motivated Bears Arrive, Start Work Quickly
GRAPEVINE, Texas – Baylor arrived Friday and wasted little time resuming preparation for the 79th Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic.
The Bears (11-1, 8-1 Big 12) reported ahead of their 2 p.m. scheduled arrival time at their team hotel and were to conduct their first practice later in the afternoon at an off-site location. They had been preparing for their game against Michigan State (10-2, 7-1 Big Ten) on campus in Waco, Texas.
“We’re extremely excited to be here to represent Baylor,” Baylor Head Coach Art Briles said.
No. 8 MICHIGAN STATE vs. No. 5 BAYLOR IN THE 79th GOODYEAR COTTON BOWL CLASSIC!
ARLINGTON, Dec. 7, 2014 – Green will be in vogue on New Year’s Day at the 79th Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic. No. 8 Michigan State Spartans will face the No. 5 Baylor Bears at 11:45 a.m. at AT&T Stadium in a battle of top teams from the Big Ten and Big 12.
The Spartans (10-2, 7-1 in Big Ten) will be making its first appearance in the Cotton Bowl. Michigan State is only the second Big Ten team to play in the Classic (Ohio State - 1987).
Baylor (11-1, 8-1 in conference) finished their second consecutive season atop the Big 12.
November 2014
GOODYEAR BECOMES TITLE SPONSOR OF COTTON BOWL CLASSIC
ARLINGTON, Nov. 7, 2014 – The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, ESPN and the Cotton Bowl Athletic Association are pleased to announce that Goodyear has become the title sponsor of the Cotton Bowl, beginning with the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic to be played on Jan. 1, 2015, at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
The sponsorship further positions Goodyear as a major corporate brand participant in college football, with the company’s blimp fleet serving as one of the most recognizable sights above stadiums while providing aerial coverage of key games for decades.
October 2014
Cotton Bowl Classic Says Goodbye to Tommy Lewis
Tommy Lewis, the man behind the infamous “Bench Tackle” play during the 1954 Cotton Bowl Classic, has died. Lewis passed away at the age of 83 on Sunday in Huntsville, Ala.
The names of Lewis, the Alabama fullback and co-captain, and Rice All-America halfback Dicky Maegle, will be linked forever as legends of the Cotton Bowl all because of one play that took place along the east sideline, just north of the 50-yard line at Cotton Bowl Stadium.
Midway through the second quarter, Lewis was standing on the Alabama sideline after the Crimson Tide had fumbled the football away to the Owls at the Rice 10-yard line.
August 2014
AT&T COTTON BOWL CLASSIC ART CONTEST NOW ACCEPTING ENTRIES
The 2014 AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic Art Contest has begun and is now accepting entries from local young artists. All North Texas students in first through sixth grade are invited to participate. Art contest materials, including the illustration template, can be downloaded online here. The deadline to mail in the illustrations is Friday, October 10th. The winners are determined by a select group of judges.
“For 18 years now we have enjoyed engaging with the younger sports fans in the Metroplex through our art contest,” AT&T Cotton Bowl President Rick Baker said, “We hope that art teachers from across the North Texas community will encourage their students to participate.
AT&T COTTON BOWL USHERS IN NEW COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF ERA WITH A SELL OUT!
ARLINGTON, August 13, 2014 — The AT&T Cotton Bowl announced today that the 79th Classic scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 1, 2015 at AT&T Stadium is officially sold out.
The 2015 AT&T Cotton Bowl marks the sixth year the Classic has been played in AT&T Stadium which has generated four of the top five crowds in the game’s history. Since the game’s move in 2010, the Classic has sold out each year in AT&T Stadium.
“You can sense the excitement from our passionate fan base,” Amy Scott, VP of Ticket Sales & Services said.
June 2014
Dan Novakov named Chairman of Cotton Bowl Athletic Association
ARLINGTON – North Texas attorney Daniel P. Novakov has been elected to a two-year term as Chairman of the Cotton Bowl Athletic Association (CBAA), the sponsoring agency of the AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic.
Novakov has been a member of the Classic’s Board of Directors since 2006, and has served on the CBAA’s Executive Committee as Vice-Chairman the past four years. He is a shareholder in the Dallas office of the global law firm, Greenberg Traurig, LLP. His community involvement includes the Baylor Health Care System Foundation, the Salesmanship Club of Dallas, the SMU Athletic Forum Board of Directors, and leadership positions in various Catholic Diocese of Dallas agencies.
May 2014
AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic Hosts Youth Football Clinic
IMPORTANT CLINIC INFORMATION
Monday, June 16 • AT&T Stadium
SIGN UP HERE
Session One
Ages: 7-10
Registration: 8:15 a.m. - 9:00 a.m.
Clinic: 9:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
Pickup Time: Noon - 1 p.m.
Cost: FREE
Session Two
Ages: 11-14
Registration: 11 a.m. - 11:45 a.m.
Clinic: 12:45 p.m. - 3:15 p.m. *Special parent seminar by Conference USA for prospective collegiate student athletes
Pickup Time: 3:30 p.
March 2014
COTTON BOWL LEGEND HANK LAURICELLA DIES
It was 63 years ago when Lauricella found a way to place his name among the legends of the Cotton Bowl without scoring a touchdown as he sparked the fourth-ranked Volunteers to a 20-14 victory over No. 3 Texas.
The 5-11, 175 pound triple-threat tailback set up the game’s first score with an electrifying 75-yard gallop to the Texas five-yard line.
January 2014
Missouri Wins 78th AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic
It took a little while, but Missouri showed why it was the SEC East champion and a national title contender.
Missouri struggled offensively in the first three quarters and were plagued by three turnovers. But the Tigers exploded for an AT&T Stadium record 24 fourth quarter points, and Shane Ray returned a fumble 73 yards for a touchdown with 2:13 remaining as Missouri topped Oklahoma State 41-31 in the 78th annual AT&T Cotton Bowl.
“All the drama you don’t want in the fourth quarter we had,” said Missouri head coach Gary Pinkel said.
McKnight Trophy Winner (Defensive MVP) - Missouri LB Andrew Wilson
As Shane Ray gathered the fumble that ultimately sealed Missouri’s second-ever 12-win season, linebacker Andrew Wilson still wasn’t finished fighting.
“I started screaming and I chased him all the way into the end zone, which was not smart because I was dead tired after that,” he said with a laugh. “That was an awesome play.”
Wilson had every reason to be tired on Friday at AT&T Stadium. The five-year senior capped a fulfilling career by making 15 tackles and earning the McKnight Trophy, awarded to the Cotton Bowl’s most valuable defensive player.
AT&T Cotton Bowl Records
At four hours and 19 minutes, tonight’s AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic was the longest in Classic history. The previous record was three hours and 47 minutes in the 2003 Classic between LSU and Texas.
The combined 101 passing attempts by Missouri (44) and Oklahoma State (57) are the most combined passing attempts in Cotton Bowl history. The previous record was 84 by Oklahoma (49) and Texas A&M (35) in the 2013 Classic.
The combined 41 points in the fourth quarter is a Cotton Bowl record for combined points in any quarter.
