Year Game Played: | 2002 |
Title Sponsor: | SBC |
Game Name: | Cotton Bowl Classic |
Subheader: | 66th Cotton Bowl Classic |
Caption: | SBC Cotton Bowl Classic logo |
Football Season: | 2001 |
Visitor Name Short: | Oklahoma |
Visitor Nickname: | Sooners |
Visitor School: | University of Oklahoma |
Home Name Short: | Arkansas |
Home Nickname: | Razorbacks |
Home School: | University of Arkansas |
Visitor Record: | 10–2 |
Visitor Conference: | Big 12 |
Home Record: | 7–4 |
Home Conference: | SEC |
Visitor Coach: | Bob Stoops |
Home Coach: | Houston Nutt |
Visitor Rank Ap: | 10 |
Visitor Rank Coaches: | 10 |
Visitor Rank Bcs: | 11 |
Visitor 1Q: | 7 |
Visitor 2Q: | 0 |
Visitor 3Q: | 3 |
Visitor 4Q: | 0 |
Home 1Q: | 0 |
Home 2Q: | 0 |
Home 3Q: | 0 |
Home 4Q: | 3 |
Date Game Played: | January 1 |
Stadium: | Cotton Bowl |
City: | Dallas, Texas |
Mvp: | RB Quentin Griffin (Oklahoma) S Roy Williams (Oklahoma) |
Referee: | Dennis Lipski (Big Ten) |
Attendance: | 72,955 |
Us Network: | Fox |
Us Announcers Link: | List of announcers of major college bowl games |
Us Announcers: | Thom Brennaman, Tim Green, Brian Baldinger and Dave Lapham |
The 2002 Cotton Bowl Classic matched the Arkansas Razorbacks and the Oklahoma Sooners.
This was the Sooners first Cotton Bowl Classic appearance ever. The Sooners finished 2nd in the Big 12 South after two crucial losses to Nebraska and Oklahoma State. This was the first appearance for the Razorbacks since 2000. Despite finishing 5th in the SEC West, they were invited to this game.
Arkansas QBs were sacked nine times by Oklahoma, a school record and tying a Cotton Bowl Classic record. Arkansas could manage only 50 yards of total offense, and one Brennan O'Donohoe field goal late in the game. Oklahoma QB Nate Hybl ran in from one yard out for the only touchdown of the game. Sooner Rocky Calmus, the Butkus Award winner and Nagurski, Bednarik, and Lombardi finalist had nine tackles and a fumble recovery in the effort. Razorback coach Houston Nutt said, "[The Oklahoma defense is] the best I've seen in 15 years.[1] [2]