Don't tell Colorado and Oregon that the Cotton Bowl isn't a major game anymore.
As expected, bowl officials announced Sunday that the schools will meet in Dallas on Jan. 1 in the first Cotton Bowl Classic without a Southwest Conference team since 1939.The game was not selected as one of the three Tier 1 bowls that will host national championship-caliber competition, but Cotton Bowl president John Crawford was pleased with the matchup of teams with 9-2 records.
"We think it's going to be a great game and couldn't be more pleased to have this lineup of nationally ranked teams," Crawford said.
The No. 8 Buffaloes of the Big Eight and No. 12 Ducks of the Pac-10 each needed victories Saturday to pick Cotton. Colorado knocked off then-No. 7 Kansas State 27-17, while Oregon escaped lightly regarded Oregon State 12-10.
"We're very excited. The fans are beside themselves," Oregon athletic director Bill Moos said.
The 60th Cotton Bowl will feature two rookie coaches, Mike Bellotti of Oregon and Rick Neuheisel of Colorado.
Each replaced a respected fixture. Oregon's Rich Brooks left after 18 years to take over the NFL's St. Louis Rams. Bill McCartney resigned at Colorado after 13 years to devote more time to his family.
In a conference call Sunday, Neuheisel recalled a chance meeting with Bellotti last summer when they crossed paths on a Northern California recruiting trip. Neuheisel said he asked if Bellotti would be in line to take over the Ducks if Brooks left.
"He never asked me if I'd get Bill McCartney's job if he left," joked Neuheisel, who was considered a dark horse candidate for the position.
Each school has played once in the Cotton Bowl. Rice came back from a two-touchdown deficit to beat Colorado and Heisman Trophy runner-up Byron "Whizzer" White 28-14 in 1938. Heisman winner Doak Walker led Southern Methodist to a 21-13 victory over Oregon in 1949.
Both athletic directors announced plans for reunions of their Cotton Bowl teams in Dallas.
The only game never to feature a SWC or Texas-based team was the 1940 matchup of Clemson and Boston College. It drew only 15,000 fans, the smallest attendance for a game that's consistently drawn more than 70,000 in modern times.
The game had featured the SWC champion since 1941, but the association ended with Southern Cal of the Pac-10 beating Texas Tech 55-14 on Jan. 2. The SWC is dissolving after this school year.
Crawford and school officials dismissed talk of a lean turnout.
"I think folks in Dallas will turn out as well (as visitors from the schools)," Crawford said. "These football teams have great records."
Moos pointed to an estimated 40,000 Ducks fans at the Rose Bowl last year, which Penn State won 38-20.
Said Colorado athletic director Bill Marolt: "We have a tremendous number of alums, friends and fans in the Dallas area."
A Texan would have been one of the key players in the matchup, but Koy Detmer of Mission injured his right knee in a 29-21 victory over then-No. 3 Texas A&M. The junior quarterback later had season-ending surgery.