1976 Cotton Bowl Classic

The 1976 Cotton Bowl Classic was a post-season college football bowl game between the co-Southwest Conference champion Arkansas Razorbacks[1] and the Georgia Bulldogs. Arkansas defeated Georgia, 31–10 in front of 77,500 spectators.[2]

1976 Cotton Bowl Classic
40th Cotton Bowl Classic
Arkansas Razorbacks Georgia Bulldogs
(9–2) (9–2)
SWC SEC
31 10
Head coach: 
Frank Broyles		 Head coach: 
Vince Dooley
APCoaches
1815
APCoaches
1211
1234 Total
Arkansas 010021 31
Georgia 10000 10
DateJanuary 1, 1976
Season1975
StadiumCotton Bowl
LocationDallas, Texas
MVPHB Ike Forte (Arkansas)
LB Hal McAfee (Arkansas)
FavoriteArkansas by 6
RefereeVance Carlson (Big Eight)
Attendance77,500
United States TV coverage
NetworkCBS

Setting

Arkansas
See also: 1975 Arkansas Razorbacks football team

Arkansas finished the regular season 9–2, came into the game on a five-game winning streak. The Hogs were part of a three-way tie for the Southwest Conference Championship with Texas and Texas A&M. The Hogs lost to Texas, 18–24, but gave #2 Texas A&M its first loss in the regular season finale. The 31-6 upset of the Aggies in War Memorial Stadium is one of the most memorable games in Razorback football history.

Georgia
See also: 1975 Georgia Bulldogs football team

Georgia was 9–2 entering the game, tied for second in the Southeastern Conference.

Game summary

The Bulldogs took an early 10–3 lead. Arkansas wouldn't score a touchdown until Georgia's QB Ray Goff tried a 'shoestring' play. He bent as if to tie his shoe and flipped the ball to Gene Washington, a legal play as long as in one motion, but Razorback Hal McAfee scooped up the ball at the 13 yard line.[3] Ike Forte scored for the Hogs, knotting the game at 10. The two teams were scoreless in the third period, with Arkansas missing three field goals, before the Hogs exploded for 21 unanswered to close the game.

References
  1. "1936 College Football Major Conference Champions | Infoplease". www.infoplease.com. Retrieved August 6, 2023."Major Conference Champions." 1975 SWC Champions. Infoplease.com. Retrieved on April 11, 2010.
  2. "Arkansas 31, Georgia 10-Past Classics." History. The official site of the 2011 Cotton Bowl Classic. Retrieved on April 11, 2010
  3. Jones, Mike. "Porkers 'string up' Georgia, 31-10." The Dallas Morning News. 1/2/1976. Article. Retrieved on April 11, 2010.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.