1942 Cotton Bowl Classic

1942 Cotton Bowl Classic
Alabama Crimson Tide Texas A&M Aggies
(8–2) (9–1)
29 21
Head coach: 
Frank Thomas		 Head coach: 
Homer H. Norton
AP
20
AP
9
1234 Total
Alabama 07139 29
Texas A&M 07014 21
Date January 1, 1942
Season 1941
Stadium Cotton Bowl
Location Dallas, Texas
MVP T Martin Ruby (Texas A&M)[1]
HB Jimmy Nelson (Alabama)[1]
E Holt Rast (Alabama)[1]
T Don Whitmire (Alabama)[1]
Attendance 38,000[2]

The 1942 Cotton Bowl Classic, part of the 1941 bowl game season, took place on January 1, 1942, at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, Texas. The competing teams were the Alabama Crimson Tide, representing the Southeastern Conference (SEC), and the Texas A&M Aggies, representing the Southwest Conference (SWC) as conference champions. Alabama won the game 29–21.

Teams

Alabama

The 1941 Alabama squad finished the regular season with an 8–2 record. The Crimson Tide also finished third in SEC play with losses to Vanderbilt and conference champion Mississippi State. Following their victory over Miami, Alabama accepted an invitation to play in the Cotton Bowl on New Years Day on December 1.[3] The appearance marked the first for Alabama in the Cotton Bowl, and the first bowl game played outside the Rose Bowl Game.[3]

Texas A&M

Texas A&M finished the regular season with a 9–1 with its lone defeat coming against Texas.[4] The appearance marked the second for the Aggies in the Cotton Bowl, as they defeated Fordham 13–12 in the 1941 game.

Game summary

In a game statistically tilted toward the Aggies, Alabama won 29–21, after racing to a 29-7 lead. Alabama then inserted its third-string, allowing for Texas A&M's late scoring.[5][6][7] Alabama had only one first down to A&M's 13; however, under the Southwest Conference rules in 1942, touchdown runs and pass plays were not counted as first downs; Alabama also had 59 rushing yards to A&M's 115; and 16 yards receiving to 194.[5] The Crimson Tide prevailed through special teams play and intercepting seven Aggie passes in their victory.[5][7]

Scoring summary
Quarter Time Drive Team Scoring information Score
Plays Yards TOP Alabama Texas A&M
2 Texas A&M Harold Cowley 12-yard touchdown reception from Leo Daniels, J.D. Webster kick good 0 7
2 Alabama Russ Craft 8-yard touchdown run, George Hecht kick good 7 7
3 Alabama Jimmy Nelson 72-yard punt return, George Hecht kick blocked 13 7
3 Alabama Jimmy Nelson 21-yard touchdown run, George Hecht kick good 20 7
4 Alabama 31-yard field goal by George Hecht 23 7
4 Alabama Interception returned 10 yards for touchdown by Holt Rast, George Hecht kick failed 29 7
4 Texas A&M J.D. Webster 1-yard touchdown run, J.D. Webster kick good 29 14
4 Texas A&M James Sterling 35-yard touchdown reception from R. Moser, J.D. Webster kick good 29 21
"TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. 29 21

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). "Bowl/All-Star Game Records: Most Valuable Players in Former Major Bowls" (PDF). 2011 NCAA Division I Football Records. NCAA.org. p. 95. Retrieved November 19, 2011.
  2. ↑ National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). "Bowl/All-Star Game Records: Major Bowl Game Attendance" (PDF). 2011 NCAA Division I Football Records. NCAA.org. p. 33. Retrieved November 19, 2011.
  3. 1 2 Staff Reporters (December 2, 1941). "Tide resumes work next week for Cotton Bowl". The Tuscaloosa News. p. 7. Retrieved January 5, 2011.
  4. ↑ Bealmear, Austin (November 28, 1941). "Texas ponds Aggies, 23–0". The Tuscaloosa News. Associated Press. p. 11. Retrieved January 5, 2011.
  5. 1 2 3 Staff Reporters (January 2, 1942). "Alabama outscores Texas Aggies in touchdown race, 29 to 21". The Tuscaloosa News. p. 7. Retrieved January 5, 2011.
  6. ↑ Staff Reporters (January 4, 1942). "Tiders to Return Home with Bowl Bacon Today". The Tuscaloosa News. p. 10. Retrieved July 27, 2011.
  7. 1 2 "Bowl History – 1942 Cotton Bowl". AggieAthletics.com. Texas A&M Athletics Media Center. Retrieved January 5, 2011.
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