1981 Cotton Bowl Classic
Encyclopedia
The 1981 Cotton Bowl Classic, part of the 1980 bowl game season, took place on January 1, 1981, at the Cotton Bowl
in Dallas, Texas
. The competing teams were the Alabama Crimson Tide, representing the Southeastern Conference
(SEC), and the Baylor Bears of the Southwestern Conference (SWC). Alabama was victorious by a final score of 30–2.
Alabama quarterback
Walter Lewis in the endzone for a safety to bring the score to 6–2. The Crimson Tide extended their lead to 13–2 at the half following a one-yard Major Ogilvie touchdown run in the second quarter. After scoring on a third Kim field goal in the third, Alabama closed out the game with a pair of fourth quarter touchdowns. Don Jacobs scored first on a one-yard run and Mark Nix scored on a three-yard run to make the final score 30–2. For his performance, Alabama linebacker
Warren Lyles was named the MVP of the contest. This game was the final collegiate game for legendary Baylor (and future college and pro football hall of famer) linebacker Mike Singletary.
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, 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...
. The competing teams were the Alabama Crimson Tide, representing the Southeastern Conference
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...
(SEC), and the Baylor Bears of the Southwestern Conference (SWC). Alabama was victorious by a final score of 30–2.
Game summary
Alabama took a 6–0 lead on a pair of Peter Kim field goals in the first quarter. Baylor responded later in the quarter with its only points of the game when Tommy Tabor sackedQuarterback sack
In American football and Canadian football, a sack occurs when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage before he can throw a forward pass, or when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage in the "pocket" and the intent of what he was going to do is unclear...
Alabama quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
Walter Lewis in the endzone for a safety to bring the score to 6–2. The Crimson Tide extended their lead to 13–2 at the half following a one-yard Major Ogilvie touchdown run in the second quarter. After scoring on a third Kim field goal in the third, Alabama closed out the game with a pair of fourth quarter touchdowns. Don Jacobs scored first on a one-yard run and Mark Nix scored on a three-yard run to make the final score 30–2. For his performance, Alabama linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
Warren Lyles was named the MVP of the contest. This game was the final collegiate game for legendary Baylor (and future college and pro football hall of famer) linebacker Mike Singletary.