2009 Cotton Bowl
Encyclopedia
The 2009 AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic was the 73rd edition of the annual college football
bowl game
that was part of the 2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season
and was one of 34 games in the 2008-09 bowl season
. The game featured the Ole Miss Rebels
of the Southeastern Conference
and the Texas Tech Red Raiders
of the Big 12 Conference
. Ole Miss won the game 47–34, in what turned out to be the highest scoring game in front of the largest Cotton Bowl Classic crowd in history.
The game was played on January 2, 2009, at the self-named stadium
in Dallas, Texas
, and was televised in the United States on FOX
. This was the final Cotton Bowl Classic to be played at the stadium in the home of the State Fair of Texas
, Fair Park
. Starting in 2010, the game will be played at Cowboys Stadium in nearby Arlington
.
However, Ole Miss quarterback
Jevan Snead
was able to lead the Rebels to touchdowns on their next three drives, and a late field goal
by Joshua Shene put the Rebels up 24-21 going into halftime.
By the end of the game, fans were chanting "S-E-C! S-E-C!" in reference to the Southeastern Conference
, which Ole Miss is a part of, and the perceived rivalry with the Big 12 Conference
, with which Texas Tech is a part of. This had another meaning, as it foreshadowed the next week in the 2009 BCS National Championship Game
, which pitted the Florida Gators
, also of the SEC, against the Oklahoma Sooners
, also of the Big 12.
After the game, the Rebels are 20-12 all-time in bowl games, with this being their fourth Cotton Bowl appearance. In their last appearance, they beat Oklahoma State by three points in the 2004 Cotton Bowl.
After the game, Texas Tech is now 10-21-1 all-time in bowl games. Ole Miss had 223 yards of rushing offense compared to 105 for Texas Tech.
broke the record for more touchdown passes thrown than anyone in major-college history. Harrell first tied, then broke, the record with two scoring passes. The record-setting 132nd touchdown pass was a two-yard slant to Michael Crabtree
early in the second quarter. (Colt Brennan
had previously held the record with Hawaii, having 131 from 2005 to 2007.) Harrell passed for 364 yards, which is a Cotton Bowl record, and finished his collegiate career with 15,793 yards passing and 134 TDs.
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...
that was part of the 2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season
2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season
The 2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season, or the college football season, began on August 28, 2008, progressing through the regular season and bowl season, and concluded with the Bowl Championship Series National Championship Game in Miami Gardens, Florida on January 8, 2009, where the #2...
and was one of 34 games in the 2008-09 bowl season
NCAA football bowl games, 2008-09
The 2008–09 NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision College Football Post-Season, which followed the 2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season contained a record number of bowl games scheduled in history, as a total of 37 bowl games were played starting on December 20, 2008 with four contests,...
. The game featured the Ole Miss Rebels
2008 Ole Miss Rebels football team
The 2008 Ole Miss Rebels football team represented the University of Mississippi during the 2008 college football season. The team's head coach was Houston Nutt, who served his first season in the position and replaced Ed Orgeron, who was fired after accumulating a 10–25 record at Ole Miss from...
of 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...
and the Texas Tech Red Raiders
2008 Texas Tech Red Raiders football team
The 2008 Texas Tech Red Raiders football team represented Texas Tech University in the college football season of 2008/09. The team was coached by Mike Leach. The Red Raiders played their home games at Jones AT&T Stadium in Lubbock, Texas. The football team competed in the Division I Football Bowl...
of the Big 12 Conference
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...
. Ole Miss won the game 47–34, in what turned out to be the highest scoring game in front of the largest Cotton Bowl Classic crowd in history.
The game was played on January 2, 2009, at the self-named stadium
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
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...
, 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...
. This was the final Cotton Bowl Classic to be played at the stadium in the home of the State Fair of Texas
State Fair of Texas
The State Fair of Texas is an annual state fair held in Dallas, Texas . The fair season usually begins the last Friday in September and ends 24 days later. The fair is held at the historic Fair Park where it has been held since 1886. The 2012 State Fair of Texas will run from September 28th...
, Fair Park
Fair Park
Dallas Fair Park is a recreational and educational complex located in Dallas, Texas . The complex is registered as a Dallas Landmark, National Historic Landmark and is home to nine museums, six performance facilities, a lagoon, and the largest Ferris wheel in North America...
. Starting in 2010, the game will be played at Cowboys Stadium in nearby Arlington
Arlington, Texas
Arlington is a city in Tarrant County, Texas within the Dallas–Fort Worth metropolitan area. According to the 2010 census results, the city had a population of 365,438, making it the third largest municipality in the Metroplex...
.
First Half
Texas Tech was able to convert a pair of early turnovers into an early lead. The Raiders had the first two scores (both touchdowns) of the game with a 35 yard pass from Graham Harrell at the 6:31 mark of the first quarter and a Darcel McBath 45 yard interception return at the 5:22 mark of the first quarter to start the game with a 14-0 lead over the Ole Miss Rebels.However, Ole Miss 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...
Jevan Snead
Jevan Snead
Jevan Bryce Snead is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as an undrafted free agent...
was able to lead the Rebels to touchdowns on their next three drives, and a late field goal
Field goal (football)
A field goal in American football and Canadian football is a goal that may be scored during general play . Field goals may be scored by a placekick or the now practically extinct drop kick.The drop kick fell out of favor in 1934 when the shape of the ball was changed...
by Joshua Shene put the Rebels up 24-21 going into halftime.
Second Half
The second half began with a Marshay Green 65 yard interception return for the Rebels which gave them a 10 point lead, 31-21. Ole Miss would remain in the lead over Texas Tech for the rest of the game, ending with a final score of 47-34.By the end of the game, fans were chanting "S-E-C! S-E-C!" in reference to 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...
, which Ole Miss is a part of, and the perceived rivalry with the Big 12 Conference
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...
, with which Texas Tech is a part of. This had another meaning, as it foreshadowed the next week in the 2009 BCS National Championship Game
2009 BCS National Championship Game
The 2009 BCS National Championship Game, sponsored by FedEx, was an American football game played at Dolphin Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, on January 8, 2009. It was the national championship game for the 2008 college football season, and featured the second-ranked Florida Gators against the...
, which pitted the Florida Gators
2008 Florida Gators football team
The 2008 Florida Gators football team represented the University of Florida in the sport of American football during the 2008 college football season...
, also of the SEC, against the Oklahoma Sooners
2008 Oklahoma Sooners football team
The 2008 Oklahoma Sooners football team represented the University of Oklahoma in the college football season of 2008-2009. It was the 114th year of season play for the Sooners. The team was led by head coach Bob Stoops, a two-time Walter Camp Coach of the Year award winner, who has a contract...
, also of the Big 12.
Records
The game was the highest scoring game in Cotton Bowl history.After the game, the Rebels are 20-12 all-time in bowl games, with this being their fourth Cotton Bowl appearance. In their last appearance, they beat Oklahoma State by three points in the 2004 Cotton Bowl.
After the game, Texas Tech is now 10-21-1 all-time in bowl games. Ole Miss had 223 yards of rushing offense compared to 105 for Texas Tech.
Graham Harrell record
In the game, Graham HarrellGraham Harrell
Graham Harrell is an American football quarterback. He was signed by the Green Bay Packers and is currently on their scout team. He played college football at Texas Tech.-Early years:...
broke the record for more touchdown passes thrown than anyone in major-college history. Harrell first tied, then broke, the record with two scoring passes. The record-setting 132nd touchdown pass was a two-yard slant to Michael Crabtree
Michael Crabtree
Michael Alex Crabtree is an American football wide receiver for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the 49ers with the 10th overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft. He played college football for Texas Tech, where he received recognition as one of the nation's...
early in the second quarter. (Colt Brennan
Colt Brennan
Colton "Colt" James Brennan is an American football quarterback. He was drafted by the Washington Redskins in the sixth round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at Hawaii....
had previously held the record with Hawaii, having 131 from 2005 to 2007.) Harrell passed for 364 yards, which is a Cotton Bowl record, and finished his collegiate career with 15,793 yards passing and 134 TDs.
Scoring summary
| Quarter | |Time | |Drive | |Team | |Scoring Information | |Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Length | Time | Ole Miss | Texas Tech |
| 4 plays, 61 yards | 1:30 | > align=left|Edward Britton 35–yard reception from Graham Harrell | |
| 0 plays, 0 yards | 0:00 | > align=left|Darcel McBath 45–yard interception return, Matt Williams kick good | |
| 8 plays, 78 yards | 3:33 | > align=left|Gerald Harris 8–yard reception from Jevan Snead | |
| 2 | 11:57 |
10 plays, 85 yards | 3:34 | > align=left|Mike Wallace 41–yard reception from Jevan Snead, Joshua Shene kick good |
| 11 plays, 75 yards | 4:13 | > align=left|Michael Crabtree 2–yard reception from Graham Harrell, Matt Williams kick good | |
| 9 plays, 80 yards | 3:35 | > align=left|Gerald Harris 21–yard reception from Jevan Snead, Joshua Shene kick good | |
| 6 plays, 35 yards | 1:46 | > align=left|Joshua Shene 27–yard field goal | |
| 0 plays, 0 yards | 0:00 | > align=left|Marshay Green 65–yard interception return, Joshua Shene kick good | |
| 3 plays, 40 yards | 1:08 | > align=left|Brandon Bolden 17–yard run, Joshua Shene kick good | |
| 9 plays, 83 yards | 3:31 | > align=left|Edward Britton 12–yard reception from Graham Harrell, Matt Williams kick good | |
| 0 plays, 0 yards | 0:00 | > align=left|Patrick Trahan safety (Graham Harrell fumbled out of the end zone) | |
| 9 plays, 48 yards | 5:28 | > align=left|Dexter McCluster 4–yard run, Joshua Shene kick good | |
| 7 plays, 62 yards | 2:57 | > align=left|Eric Morris 17–yard reception from Graham Harrell, Graham Harrell fumble-attempt failed | |