2011 Cotton Bowl Classic
Encyclopedia
The 2011 AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic was the 75th edition of the annual post-season college football
bowl game
that was part of the 2010–11 bowl season
of the 2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season
. The game featured the LSU Tigers
of the Southeastern Conference
who defeated the Texas A&M Aggies
of the Big 12 Conference
by a score of 41-24. The game was scheduled for January 7, 2011 at 7:27 p.m. CST and was held at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington
, Texas
. This was the second time it was held in Cowboys Stadium after leaving its namesake venue
. The game was broadcast by Fox.
Months after the game, in late September 2011, Texas A&M announced they will join LSU in the SEC in 2012.
. LSU leads the series, 26-20-3 going into the game.
and 1st year defensive coordinator/assistant head coach Tim DeRuyter
, the team finished the season by beating 2 top 10 teams, Oklahoma
and Nebraska
, as well as in state rivals Baylor
and Texas
. The Aggies finished their conference schedule in a 3-way tie with Oklahoma and Oklahoma State
. Oklahoma won the tiebreaker by having a higher BCS Ranking and eventually beat Nebraska in the Big 12 Championship
.
It was Texas A&M's twelfth Cotton Bowl Classic appearance, tied for the second-most visits among any team. The Aggies' last trip to the Classic was in 2005 when they were defeated by Tennessee
, 38-7. Overall Texas A&M holds a 4-7 record in Cotton Bowl Classic games, however the Aggies have lost five straight with their last win being a 35-10 victory over Notre Dame
in 1988.
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 2010–11 bowl season
2010–11 NCAA football bowl games
The 2010–11 NCAA football bowl games concluded the 2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season and included 35 team-competitive bowl games and four all-star games. The games began play with three bowls on December 18, 2010 and included the 2011 BCS National Championship Game in Glendale, Arizona...
of the 2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season
2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season
The 2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season, or the college football season, began on Thursday, September 2, 2010. The season progressed through the regular season and bowl season, and concluded with the Tostitos BCS National Championship Game on Monday, January 10, 2011.-Rule changes for...
. The game featured the LSU Tigers
2010 LSU Tigers football team
The 2010 LSU Tigers football team represented Louisiana State University in the 2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Tigers were led by head coach Les Miles in his 6th season. They played their home games at Tiger Stadium and were members of the Southeastern Conference in the Western...
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...
who defeated the Texas A&M Aggies
2010 Texas A&M Aggies football team
The 2010 Texas A&M Aggies football team represented Texas A&M University in the 2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team was led by third-year head coach Mike Sherman and played their home games at Kyle Field in College Station, Texas. The team's defense was led by first-year coach Tim...
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...
by a score of 41-24. The game was scheduled for January 7, 2011 at 7:27 p.m. CST and was held at Cowboys Stadium in 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...
, 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...
. This was the second time it was held in Cowboys Stadium after leaving its namesake venue
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,...
. The game was broadcast by Fox.
Months after the game, in late September 2011, Texas A&M announced they will join LSU in the SEC in 2012.
Teams
The meeting between the Tigers and the Aggies was the 50th all-time between the teams, but the first since the 1995 season (A&M won, 33-17). LSU and Texas A&M met every year from 1986 through 1995 before the series was discontinued. It was the second time LSU and Texas A&M squared off in a bowl game, the first being the 1944 Orange Bowl1944 Orange Bowl
The 1944 Orange Bowl was a postseason college football bowl game between the LSU Tigers and Texas A&M Aggies. It was the 10th edition of the Orange Bowl. LSU defeated Texas A&M 19–14....
. LSU leads the series, 26-20-3 going into the game.
LSU
It was the fifth Cotton Bowl Classic appearance for the Tigers and the first since the 2002 season. The Tigers are the conference statistics leader on pass defense (165.83 ypg). They are rated second in pass efficiency defense (112.94 rating), kickoff returns (25.79 avg.), punt returns (13.50 avg.), scoring defense (17.75 ppg), and total defense (301.67 ypg). Senior Josh Jasper has kicked 31 of 32 point-after-touchdowns, and 26 of 31 field goals for a total of 109 points.Texas A&M
Texas A&M finished the 2010 season 9-3 after starting the season 3-3 and winning their final 6 games. Led by 3rd year head coach Mike ShermanMike Sherman
Michael Francis "Mike" Sherman is the head coach of the Texas A&M Aggies football team. Prior to coaching the Aggies, he served as the head coach of the Green Bay Packers from the 2000–05 seasons. Sherman led the Packers to five consecutive winning seasons from 2000–04 and three divisional titles...
and 1st year defensive coordinator/assistant head coach Tim DeRuyter
Tim DeRuyter
Timothy James DeRuyter is the defensive coordinator/assistant head coach of the Texas A&M Aggies college football team.-Early years:A native of Long Beach, California, DeRuyter attended St. John Bosco High School in Bellflower and graduated in 1981. He played college football at Air Force from...
, the team finished the season by beating 2 top 10 teams, Oklahoma
2010 Oklahoma Sooners football team
The 2010 Oklahoma Sooners football team represented the University of Oklahoma in the college football season of 2010–2011. It was the 116th 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...
and Nebraska
2010 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team
The 2010 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team represented the University of Nebraska in the 2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team was coached by Bo Pelini and played their home games at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Nebraska. They were members of the North Division of the Big 12 Conference...
, as well as in state rivals Baylor
2010 Baylor Bears football team
The 2010 Baylor Bears football team represented Baylor University in college football's 2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team was coached by Art Briles and played their home games at Floyd Casey Stadium in Waco, Texas. They are members of the Big 12 Conference in the South Division...
and Texas
2010 Texas Longhorns football team
The 2010 Texas Longhorn football team represented the University of Texas at Austin in the 2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team was coached by Mack Brown, who has a contract lasting through the 2016 season...
. The Aggies finished their conference schedule in a 3-way tie with Oklahoma and Oklahoma State
2010 Oklahoma State Cowboys football team
The 2010 Oklahoma State Cowboys football team represented Oklahoma State University in the 2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team was coached by 6th year head coach Mike Gundy and played their homes game at Boone Pickens Stadium. They played in the Big 12 Conference in the South Division...
. Oklahoma won the tiebreaker by having a higher BCS Ranking and eventually beat Nebraska in the Big 12 Championship
2010 Big 12 Championship Game
The 2010 Big 12 Championship Game was played at 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, December 4, 2010, at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas to determine the 2010 football champion of the Big 12 Conference. It was the final championship game for the conference as two members of the Big 12 had announced their...
.
It was Texas A&M's twelfth Cotton Bowl Classic appearance, tied for the second-most visits among any team. The Aggies' last trip to the Classic was in 2005 when they were defeated by Tennessee
Tennessee Volunteers football
The Tennessee Volunteers football team are an American college football team at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville . The NCAA Division I team is also a member of the Southeastern Conference ....
, 38-7. Overall Texas A&M holds a 4-7 record in Cotton Bowl Classic games, however the Aggies have lost five straight with their last win being a 35-10 victory over Notre Dame
Notre Dame Fighting Irish football
Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team is the football team of the University of Notre Dame. The team is currently coached by Brian Kelly.Notre Dame competes as an Independent at the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision level, and is a founding member of the Bowl Championship Series coalition. It is an...
in 1988.
Scoring summary
| Scoring play | Score | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st quarter | |||
| A&M – Uzoma Nwachukwu 6-yard pass from Ryan Tannehill (Randy Bullock kick), 13:01 | A&M 7–0 | ||
| A&M – Bullock 39-yard field goal, 5:03 | A&M 10–0 | ||
| LSU – Terrance Toliver 42-yard pass from Jordan Jefferson (Josh Jasper kick), 1:48 | A&M 10–7 | ||
| 2nd quarter | |||
| LSU – Jefferson 1-yard run (Jasper kick), 10:13 | LSU 14–10 | ||
| A&M – Nwachukwu 14-yard pass from Cyrus Gray (Bullock kick), 7:44 | A&M 17–14 | ||
| LSU – Stevan Ridley 17-yard run (Jasper kick), 4:43 | LSU 21-17 | ||
| LSU – Toliver 2-yard pass from Jefferson (Jasper kick), 1:27 | LSU 28-17 | ||
| 3rd quarter | |||
| LSU – Toliver 41-yard pass from Jefferson (Jasper kick), 12:06 | LSU 35-17 | ||
| 4th quarter | |||
| A&M – Kenric McNeal 4-yard pass from Ryan Tannehill (Randy Bullock kick), 10:04 | LSU 35-24 | ||
| LSU – Jasper 50-yard field goal, 6:12 | LSU 38-24 | ||
| LSU – Jasper 26-yard field goal, 3:04 | LSU 41-24 | ||
Statistics
| Statistics | LSU | Texas A&M |
|---|---|---|
| First Downs | 24 | 23 |
| Total offense, plays - yards | 74-446 | 65-373 |
| Rushes-yards (net) | 55-288 | 29-155 |
| Passing yards (net) | 158 | 218 |
| Passes, Comp-Att-Int | 10-19-1 | 23-36-3 |
| Time of Possession | 37:26 | 22:34 |