COTTON BOWL HONORS ITS ELITE | Inductees escorted by Rangerettes on way to Hall of Fame

By SCOTTIE ROGERS

Special to the ETBLITZ.COM

ARLINGTON – A time-honored tradition of the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic took center stage as eight legends took their rightful place in the game’s lore with induction into the game’s Hall of Fame as its Class of 2025.

This biennial celebration, which began in 1998, was once again held at AT&T Stadium, this time with the West Plaza providing an outdoor backdrop for Classic’s 14th Hall of Fame induction ceremony. And the Kilgore College Rangerettes, who have performed at so many Classics since they were founded in 1940, were on hand for the celebration, as well.

The springtime weather offered an ideal setting for former Notre Dame fullback Jerome Bettis, Texas linebacker Randy Braband, Ole Miss head coach David Cutcliffe, Nebraska running back Tony Davis, Cotton Bowl Athletic Association Chief Ambassador, Past Chair and former Team Selection & Playoff Committee Chair Fin Ewing III, CBAA Historian Charlie Fiss, Auburn running back Bo Jackson and Alabama linebacker DeMeco Ryans to be recognized for their lasting impact on the Cotton Bowl Classic, on and off the field.

These eight honorees are among 93 men and women who have left indelible marks on the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic and CBAA.

“Today is a special day to celebrate the contributions of eight extraordinary individuals who have impacted our game and our organization in so many positive ways,” said W. Kelvin Walker, Chair, CBAA. “The Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic is honored to have these legends now a permanent part of our history. We salute them and we’re thrilled to call them Cotton Bowl Classic Hall of Famers.”

A judging committee comprised of media representatives and athletic administrators selected this year’s Hall of Fame class from a ballot that consisted of former players, head coaches and bowl administrators. Consideration was based solely upon a nominee’s performance or impact upon the success of the Cotton Bowl Classic rather than on the person’s overall college and/or professional career. Individuals who play in the game become eligible for recognition five years after his final Classic appearance.

Each member of the Hall of Fame class received a personalized bronze statue in the likeness of a 1930s football player, the era in which the bowl game was founded.

Brad Sham, the Voice of the Dallas Cowboys and Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic, served as the event’s Master of Ceremonies. The event’s festivities included an exclusive VIP dinner the night before the ceremony, an enshrinement day brunch just prior to the induction and post-ceremony activities for attendees that included an autograph session featuring the Hall of Fame honorees and lunch courtesy of the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic.

This year’s Hall of Fame class features some intriguing connections.

Texas’ Randy Braband is one of very few who can claim playing in three Cotton Bowl Classics. In his three appearances and two as the Longhorns’ starting linebacker, Braband recorded 33 tackles, 19 of them came in the Horns’ thrilling 17-13 defeat of fourth-ranked Alabama in 1973. It was a dominating performance by the senior defensive captain. However, there was one tackle that stood well above all the others. On fourth down and inches at the Texas 43, Braband crashed through the line of scrimmage and stood up the Crimson Tide running back, driving him back for a yard loss. Only 1:52 was left to play when the savvy Texas linebacker made this stirring defensive play to slam the door on Alabama’s comeback hopes.

The impacts of Fin Ewing III and Charlie Fiss on the Cotton Bowl Classic and work of the Cotton Bowl Athletic Association are truly like no other.

Ewing has created lifelong friendships everywhere, particularly in the world of college football, using his quick wit and good-natured sense of humor. His leadership roles with the Classic have been many…CBAA Chair, Team Selection Chair and Playoff Committee Chair. Add to that list his current  title of Chief Ambassador. Ewing’s specialty is cultivating relationships and spreading goodwill. Since 1967, he and his family have provided vehicles to fuel the Classic’s celebrated drivers’ program. And, at a critical juncture in the bowl’s history, Ewing stepped forward to conduct negotiations with the Dallas Cowboys in the CBAA’s quest to move to AT&T Stadium. No matter the challenge, he is always ready to make sure the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic remains on solid ground.

Fiss has been synonymous with the Classic since its 49th edition which saw Heisman Trophy winner Doug Flutie lead Boston College to victory in 1985. The venerable wordsmith guided the communications efforts and built the best media operations in the bowl business over four decades. Fiss played a vital role in the game’s evolution as a top bowl destination. He was also one of the founders of the Cotton Bowl Classic Hall of Fame. He has produced the induction ceremony since the first class in 1998. He first worked the Classic as a staff member at the Southwest Conference office, and in July 1993, he joined the Cotton Bowl staff and assumed the role of Vice President of Communications that he held until 2020 when he transitioned to his current position as Historian. The University of Arkansas alum has poured himself into the Cotton Bowl Classic in ways that are unparalleled, and his impact will be felt for many years to come.

The coach of this year’s Hall of Fame class, David Cutcliffe, carved out a career on the sidelines that taught his players how to win in football and in life. Coach Cut guided Ole Miss to its first 10-victory season in 32 years with a 31-28 triumph over Oklahoma State in the 2004 Cotton Bowl Classic. But it didn’t come easy. After building a 17-point, fourth-quarter advantage, he braced the Rebels to expect a furious comeback attempt by the Cowboys. Oklahoma State did just that and chopped the margin to three with 4:38 to play. Ole Miss didn’t flinch, dug in, engineered a 65-yard drive and ran out the clock.

This year’s class also features three running backs who had distinctly different ways of carrying the ball but similar ways in carrying their teams to success.

Nebraska’s Tony Davis grew up in the shadows of Memorial Stadium in a little town where he earned the nickname “Tecumseh Tornado.” He preferred to run over tacklers rather than go around them and made defenders pay for getting in his way. In the 1974 Cotton Bowl Classic, the sophomore halfback made Texas pay dearly. He pounded the Longhorn defense all day long, rushing for 106 yards on 28 carries, and scored once on a three-yard run. Davis and his Husker teammates seized momentum in the third quarter and broke open a 3-3 stalemate with back-to-back touchdowns to help head coach Tom Osborne earn his first bowl victory at Nebraska.

Another ballcarrier with a memorable nickname, Jerome Bettis knew how to make football coaches happy, or unhappy, as the case may be. Bettis could run and catch with equal efficiency, and at 6-0, 247 pounds, he was a load to bring down. He was truly a bus load on the gridiron, just ask the Texas A&M safety who Bettis steamrolled at the goal line in the 1993 Cotton Bowl Classic. The score sent Notre Dame rolling toward a runaway 28-3 victory. He logged 20 rushing attempts for 75 yards against the Aggies, scored three touchdowns and accounted for 18 of the Irish’s 28 points.

Bo Jackson, one of the most celebrated players in college football history, more than lived up to expectations with a memorable performance. The 50th Heisman Trophy winner carried the bulk of the offensive burden for Auburn in the 50th Cotton Bowl Classic. He set a Classic record with 31 rushing attempts while piling up 129 yards. The game was only minutes old when he scored his first touchdown on a five-yard run. But the play that Jackson will be remembered for most was a routine screen pass that he turned into a spectacular 73-yard scoring play. After catching the pass near the left boundary, he turned up field and raced through the heart of the Aggie defense. His Tigers were not victorious that day but he added another chapter to his legendary college career.

Jackson and Alabama’s DeMeco Ryans went to rival schools but share the same hometown of Bessemer, Ala.

From his linebacker position, Ryans was literally a coach on the field for the Crimson Tide. As a senior, he earned unanimous All-America recognition and was named Southeastern Conference Defensive Player of the Yea. In the Alabama’s 13-10 victory over Texas Tech in the 70th Cotton Bowl Classic, Ryans and teammates held the nation’s top-ranked passing attack in check. He was credited with seven tackles, five of them solo, two tackles for loss that included 1.5 quarterback sacks for minus-12 yards and was selected as the Felix R. McKnight Outstanding Defensive Player of the Game. Ryans was tremendous in the classroom, too. He graduated with honors and was name the school’s top male student-athlete.

Since its first game in 1937, the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic has hosted:

• 164 College Football Hall of Famers

• 35 Pro Football Hall of Famers

• 11 Heisman Trophy winners

• 9 Maxwell Award winners

• 8 Walter Camp Award winners

• 6 Outland Trophy winners

• 5 Davey O’Brien Award winners

• 5 Johnny Unitas Award winners

• 4 Lombardi Award winners

• 4 Jim Thorpe Award winners

• 3 Doak Walker Award winners

• 3 Rimington Trophy winners

• 3 William V. Campbell Trophy winners