Texas Tech, Ole Miss Meet in Cotton Bowl Farewell

Cotton Bowl Classic moving to Arlington next season

Updated 12:03 PM CST, Fri, Jan 2, 2009

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Dallas oilman J. Curtis Sanford sat in the stands of the Rose Bowl in 1936 and thought to himself his city should also have a New Year's Day game.

The next year the Cotton Bowl was born with Sammy Baugh and TCU playing Marquette. Over the years the Cotton Bowl has crowned national champions and showcased Heisman Trophy winners.

Today is the last game in Dallas for the Cotton Bowl before the game moves west to Arlington and the Dallas Cowboys' new stadium.

Seventh-ranked Texas Tech and No. 20 Mississippi meet in the end-of-the-era game.

Field Set for Final Cotton Bowl

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Field Set for Final Cotton Bowl

Texas Tech is closing out the best season in school history and Ole Miss had a memorable one, too, with first-year coach Houston Nutt turning the Rebels into the only team to beat top-ranked Florida.

Yet for all the personalities and intrigue to this Big 12 vs. SEC matchup, the bigger storyline is that this is the final Cotton Bowl in the Cotton Bowl.

The game is leaving its namesake stadium after this 73rd edition despite a $57 million makeover.

"It's bittersweet. This has been our home for 73 years," Cotton Bowl Classic spokesperson Michael Konradi said. "So many great coaches, players and legends have taken this field."

Cotton Bowl officials hope the move to the new stadium will help their game reclaim the top-tier status it once had.

The last Cotton Bowl at the Fair Park stadium is a sell-out and more than 88,000 screaming fans are expected to fill the stands.

"I grew up watching the Cotton Bowl so it is sentimental," Dallas resident Lindsey Browning said. "I am just glad Tech is in it."

Ole Miss fan Ralph Lloyd said, "It means a lot to Ole Miss to be here for the last game, we've won many games here and we intend to do so again."

While the bricks and mortar won't be moving, Bowl organizers say the heritage and the history of the Cotton Bowl certainly can.

"The memories go to the new stadium and we are excited about our future," Konradi said.

As for the future of the Fair Park stadium, Cotton Bowl officials are exploring the idea of bringing another bowl game to Dallas. Along with the Bell Helicopter Armed Forced Bowl, that would make for three bowl games in the Metroplex.