2008 Cotton Bowl
Encyclopedia
The 2008 AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic was a college football
bowl game
played on January 1, 2008, at the Cotton Bowl
in Dallas
, Texas
, USA. The Cotton Bowl Classic was part of the 2007 NCAA Division I FBS football season
and one of 32 games in the 2007-2008 bowl season. The bowl game featured the Arkansas Razorbacks
from the SEC
and the Missouri Tigers
from the Big 12
and was televised in the United States on FOX
. Senior RB Tony Temple
of Mizzou set a single game rushing record for the Cotton Bowl Classic with 281 yards and 4 touchdowns. His 281 rushing yards put him in second place all time for total rushing yards in a bowl game.
and the Missouri Tigers
accepted the Cotton Bowl Classic's invitation to play in the bowl game on January 1. This was the Arkansas Razorbacks' 11th appearance in the Cotton Bowl Classic (with a record of 3-6-1 in previous Cotton Bowl Classics) and the second appearance for the Missouri Tigers (0-1).
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
bowl game
Bowl game
In North America, a bowl game is commonly considered to refer to one of a number of post-season college football games. Prior to 2002, bowl game statistics were not included in players' career totals and the games were mostly considered to be exhibition games involving a payout to participating...
played on January 1, 2008, at the Cotton Bowl
Cotton Bowl (stadium)
The Cotton Bowl is a stadium which opened in 1929 and became known as "The House That Doak Built" due to the immense crowds that former SMU running back Doak Walker drew to the stadium during his college career in the late 1940s. Originally known as Fair Park Stadium, it is located in Fair Park,...
in Dallas
Dallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, USA. The Cotton Bowl Classic was part of the 2007 NCAA Division I FBS football season
2007 NCAA Division I FBS football season
The 2007 NCAA Division I FBS football season, or the college football season, began on August 30, 2007, progressed through the regular season and bowl season, and concluded with the Bowl Championship Series National Championship Game in New Orleans, Louisiana on January 7, 2008, where the top...
and one of 32 games in the 2007-2008 bowl season. The bowl game featured the Arkansas Razorbacks
2007 Arkansas Razorbacks football team
The 2007 Arkansas Razorbacks football team represented the University of Arkansas in the 2007–2008 football season. The Razorbacks played six home games at Donald W...
from the SEC
Southeastern Conference
The Southeastern Conference is an American college athletic conference that operates in the southeastern part of the United States. It is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama...
and the Missouri Tigers
2007 Missouri Tigers football team
The 2007 Missouri Tigers football team represented the University of Missouri in college football's 2007 season. The team was coached by Gary Pinkel and played their home games at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium....
from the Big 12
Big 12 Conference
The Big 12 Conference is a college athletic conference of ten schools located in the Central United States, with its headquarters located in Las Colinas, a community in the Dallas, Texas suburb of Irving...
and was televised in the United States on FOX
Fox Sports (USA)
Fox Sports is a division of the Fox Broadcasting Company . It was formed in 1994 with Fox's acquisition of broadcast rights to National Football League games...
. Senior RB Tony Temple
Tony Temple
Tony Temple is the former starting running back for the Missouri Tigers football team representing the University of Missouri. Temple played for the Tigers from 2004 to 2007...
of Mizzou set a single game rushing record for the Cotton Bowl Classic with 281 yards and 4 touchdowns. His 281 rushing yards put him in second place all time for total rushing yards in a bowl game.
Game invitation
The Arkansas Razorbacks2007 Arkansas Razorbacks football team
The 2007 Arkansas Razorbacks football team represented the University of Arkansas in the 2007–2008 football season. The Razorbacks played six home games at Donald W...
and the Missouri Tigers
2007 Missouri Tigers football team
The 2007 Missouri Tigers football team represented the University of Missouri in college football's 2007 season. The team was coached by Gary Pinkel and played their home games at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium....
accepted the Cotton Bowl Classic's invitation to play in the bowl game on January 1. This was the Arkansas Razorbacks' 11th appearance in the Cotton Bowl Classic (with a record of 3-6-1 in previous Cotton Bowl Classics) and the second appearance for the Missouri Tigers (0-1).
Pre-game buildup
- The 72nd Cotton Bowl Classic featured two Heisman TrophyHeisman TrophyThe Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
candidates, Darren McFaddenDarren McFaddenDarren McFadden is an American football running back who currently plays for the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League . He played college football for the University of Arkansas from 2005 to 2007...
(playing for Arkansas) and Chase DanielChase DanielWilliam Chase Daniel is an American football quarterback for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League. He was signed by the Washington Redskins as an undrafted free agent in 2009...
(playing for Missouri). McFadden finished second in the voting, while Daniel was fourth. - Reggie Herring was the head coachHead coachA head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches...
at Arkansas for this game. The defensive coordinatorDefensive coordinatorA defensive coordinator typically refers to a coach on a gridiron football team who is in charge of the defense. Generally, along with his offensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...
was the bridge between the departing Houston NuttHouston NuttHouston Dale Nutt, Jr. is an American football coach and former player. Most recently he was the head football coach at the University of Mississippi from 2008 to 2011. Previously, he served as the head coach at Murray State University , Boise State University , and the University of Arkansas...
(now at MississippiOle Miss Rebels footballThe football history of the University of Mississippi , includes the formation of the first football team in the state and is 26th on the list of college football's all-time winning programs...
) and the arriving Bobby PetrinoBobby PetrinoBobby Petrino is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the head football coach at the University of Arkansas, a position he has held since the 2008 season...
(who resigned from the Atlanta FalconsAtlanta FalconsThe Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
of the NFL). - This was the first of two sideline reporting assignments for Fox SportsFox Sports (USA)Fox Sports is a division of the Fox Broadcasting Company . It was formed in 1994 with Fox's acquisition of broadcast rights to National Football League games...
' Jeanne ZelaskoJeanne ZelaskoJeanne Zelasko is a journalist and sportscaster who took over as the pre-game host of Fox's MLB games in 2001 after the departure of Keith Olbermann until October 2008. She also covered pre-game for MLB 2K6, MLB 2K7, and MLB 2K8 alongside Steve Physioc...
. She also has a reporting assignment at the Orange Bowl2008 Orange BowlThe 2008 FedEx Orange Bowl game was a post-season college football bowl game between the Virginia Tech Hokies and the Kansas Jayhawks on January 3, 2008, at Dolphins Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. Spread bettors favored Virginia Tech by three points, but in a game dominated by defensive and...
, then she will leave the network to undergo treatments for thyroid cancerThyroid cancerThyroid neoplasm is a neoplasm or tumor of the thyroid. It can be a benign tumor such as thyroid adenoma, or it can be a malignant neoplasm , such as papillary, follicular, medullary or anaplastic thyroid cancer. Most patients are 25 to 65 years of age when first diagnosed; women are more affected...
.