2019 Cotton Bowl Classic

The 2019 Cotton Bowl Classic was a college football bowl game played on December 28, 2019, with kickoff at 12:00 p.m. EST (11:00 a.m. local CST) on ESPN.[3] It was the 84th edition of the Cotton Bowl Classic, and was one of the 2019–20 bowl games concluding the 2019 FBS football season. Sponsored by the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company, the game was officially known as the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic.

2019 Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic
CFP New Year's Six
84th Cotton Bowl Classic
Memphis Tigers Penn State Nittany Lions
(12–1) (10–2)
The American Big Ten
39 53
Head coach: 
Ryan Silverfield		 Head coach: 
James Franklin
APCoachesCFP
151517
APCoachesCFP
131210
1234 Total
Memphis 1310133 39
Penn State 728108 53
DateDecember 28, 2019
Season2019
StadiumAT&T Stadium
LocationArlington, Texas
MVPJourney Brown (RB, Penn State)
Micah Parsons (LB, Penn State)
FavoritePenn State by 6.5[1]
RefereeJeff Flanagan (ACC)[2]
Attendance54,828
United States TV coverage
NetworkESPN and ESPN Radio
AnnouncersESPN: Mark Jones (play-by-play)
Dusty Dvoracek (analyst)
Olivia Dekker (sideline)
ESPN Radio: Brad Sham, Jordan Rodgers, Kris Budden
Nielsen ratings3.8 (6.22 million viewers)
International TV coverage
NetworkESPN Brasil
AnnouncersMatheus Suman (play-by-play)
Weinny Eirado (analyst)

Teams

The participants were selected by the College Football Playoff selection committee on December 8, 2019.[4] This was the first meeting between the Memphis and Penn State programs.[5]

Memphis Tigers
Main article: 2019 Memphis Tigers football team

Memphis entered the game with a 12–1 record (7–1 in conference), ranked 15th in the AP Poll. The Tigers tied with Navy for first place of the West Division of the American Athletic Conference (AAC). Due to their win over Navy during the regular season, Memphis advanced to the AAC Championship Game, where they defeated Cincinnati, 29–24.

Memphis was selected to the Cotton Bowl as the highest-ranked team from the Group of Five conferences, a spot they secured by winning the AAC championship. This was Memphis' first Cotton Bowl Classic, as well as their first New Year's Six game overall. At the time the Tigers received their bowl invitation, the status of head coach Mike Norvell was unclear, as he had accepted an offer to become the new head coach of the Florida State Seminoles.[6] On December 9, Norvell announced that he would not coach Memphis in the bowl, allowing interim head coach Ryan Silverfield to do so.[7] On December 13, it was announced that the interim tag would be removed and that Silverfield was being hired as the new head coach of Memphis.[8]

Penn State Nittany Lions
Main article: 2019 Penn State Nittany Lions football team

Penn State entered the game ranked 13th in the AP Poll, with a 10–2 record (7–2 in conference). The Nittany Lions finished second in the Big Ten's East Division. They split their four games against ranked opponents, defeating Iowa and Michigan while losing to Minnesota and Ohio State.

Penn State was selected to the Cotton Bowl as the highest-ranked team not already selected to a New Year's Six bowl. This was Penn State's fourth Cotton Bowl Classic; the Nittany Lions have a 2–0–1 record in the game, most recently their 1974 team winning the 1975 Cotton Bowl Classic over Baylor, 41–20.

Game summary
2019 Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic
Period 1 2 34Total
No. 17 Memphis 13 10 13339
No. 10 Penn State 7 28 10853

at AT&T Stadium • Arlington, Texas

Game information
First Quarter
  • (10:52) MEM – Riley Patterson 48 yard field goal (Drive: 11 plays, 58 yards, 2:59; Memphis 3–0)
  • (9:56) PSU – Journey Brown 32 yard rush, Jake Pinegar kick (Drive: 3 plays, 75 yards, 0:56; Penn State 7–3)
  • (7:44) MEM – Patrick Taylor 3 yard rush, Riley Patterson kick (Drive: 6 plays, 75 yards, 2:12; Memphis 10–7)
  • (2:55) MEM – Riley Patterson 37 yard field goal (Drive: 10 plays, 40 yards, 3:36; Memphis 13–7)
Second Quarter
  • (11:14) PSU – Noah Cain 1 yard rush, Jack Pinegar kick (Drive: 8 plays, 45 yards, 3:27; Penn State 14–13)
  • (7:47) PSU – Devyn Ford 2 yard rush, Jack Pinegar kick (Drive: 4 plays, 32 yards, 1:14; Penn State 21–13)
  • (5:51) PSU – Journey Brown 56 yard rush, Jack Pinegar kick (Drive: 1 plays, 56 yards, 0:10; Penn State 28–13)
  • (3:15) MEM – Kenneth Gainwell 2 yard rush, Riley Patterson kick (Drive: 7 plays, 75 yards, 2:36; Penn State 28–20)
  • (0:51) PSU – Sean Clifford 4 yard pass to Jahan Dotson, Jack Pinegar kick (Drive: 10 plays, 75 yards, 2:24; Penn State 35–20)
  • (0:00) MEM – Riley Patterson 44 yard field goal (Drive: 8 plays, 49 yards, 0:51; Penn State 35–23)
Third Quarter
  • (12:16) MEM – Brady White 1 yard rush, Riley Patterson kick (Drive: 6 plays, 75 yards, 2:44; Penn State 35–30)
  • (10:24) MEM – Riley Patterson 51 yard field goal (Drive: 4 plays, –4 yards, 1:45; Penn State 35–33)
  • (7:13) PSU – Jake Pinegar 45 yard field goal (Drive: 8 plays, 46 yards, 3:06; Penn State 38–33)
  • (3:32) MEM – Riley Patterson 41 yard field goal (Drive: 11 plays, 52 yards, 3:41; Penn State 38–36)
  • (0:38) PSU – Garrett Taylor 15 yard interception return, Jake Pinegar kick (Penn State 45–36)
Fourth Quarter
  • (12:01) MEM – Riley Patterson 42 yard field goal (Drive: 9 plays, 51 yards, 3:37; Penn State 45–39)
  • (6:31) PSU – Noah Cain 1 yard rush, 2-point pass good (Drive: 12 plays, 75 yards, 5:30; Penn State 53–39)

Statistics
Statistics MEM PSU
First downs2725
Plays–yards86–54273–529
Rushes–yards33–6353–396
Passing yards479133
Passing: comp–att–int33–53–211–20–1
Time of possession32:4227:18
TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
Memphis PassingBrady White32/51, 454 yards, 2 INT
RushingPatrick Taylor8 carries, 50 yards, 1 TD
ReceivingDamonte Coxie8 receptions, 132 yards
Penn State PassingSean Clifford11/20, 133 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT
RushingJourney Brown16 carries, 202 yards, 2 TD
ReceivingK. J. Hamler2 receptions, 46 yards

References
  1. "Memphis vs. Penn State - Game Summary". ESPN.com. Retrieved December 28, 2019.
  2. "2019-20 bowl officiating assignments". footballzebras.com. December 9, 2019. Retrieved December 12, 2019.
  3. "2019-20 college football bowl schedule, games, dates, times, TV channels". CBSSports.com. Retrieved June 7, 2019.
  4. "84th GOODYEAR COTTON BOWL CLASSIC MATCHUP IS SET!". cottonbowl.com. December 8, 2019.
  5. "Memphis Tigers vs. Penn State Nittany Lions football series history". winsipedia.com. Retrieved December 25, 2019.
  6. Crawford, Brad (December 8, 2019). "Mike Norvell's bowl-season plan at Florida State". 247Sports.com. Retrieved December 8, 2019.
  7. Barnes, Evan (December 11, 2019). "What it means that Ryan Silverfield will coach Memphis in the Cotton Bowl". The Commercial Appeal. Memphis, Tennessee. Retrieved December 12, 2019.
  8. Giannotto, Mark; Barnes, Evan (December 13, 2019). "Ryan Silverfield to be hired as Memphis football head coach". USA TODAY. Retrieved December 13, 2019.
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