Tony Temple in the 2008 Cotton Bowl. Photo by Rob Hill.
Following one of the best seasons in Mizzou football history, the Tigers are headed to the Cotton Bowl. Set for Jan. 3 in the spectacular AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, the game pairs Mizzou with old conference rival Oklahoma State.
Mizzou, 11-2 overall and ranked No. 8 in the Bowl Championship Series standings, plays an Oklahoma State squad that almost won this season's Big 12 title. The No. 13 Cowboys (10-2) lost in the last minute to rival Oklahoma in the annual Bedlam game. Both teams are out to avenge title game losses.
"We are honored and excited to accept a bid to play in the Cotton Bowl," says coach Gary Pinkel, who prepares to make his ninth bowl game appearance in 13 seasons at Mizzou. "We know first hand just how great of a trip this is and how first-class of an operation the Cotton Bowl runs. We have a chance to play an outstanding team in Oklahoma State, and this is an opportunity to finish up a special season in front of a great Mizzou crowd."
The Southeastern Conference has beaten the Big 12 representative nine of the past 10 years in the Cotton Bowl. That lone exception? Your Mizzou Tigers. Tony Temple set Cotton Bowl records with 281 yards rushing and four touchdowns as the Tigers romped to a 38-7 win over Arkansas in 2008.
Familiar foes
Tigers vs. Oklahoma Aggies on Rollins field in 1921.
Oklahoma State was the final school added to create the old Big Eight Conference in 1957, but that wasn't when Mizzou first matched up against the Aggies.
Yes, the Oklahoma State Cowboys were originally the Oklahoma A&M Aggies, and they first played Mizzou in football in 1915. Mizzou won the game 13-7 on Rollins Field. The "star" of that team was Clinton Collins, a 5-foot-8, 151-pound tailback. In 1921, the teams' next meeting, Mizzou shut out the Aggies 36-0.
Mel West (#26) in the 1960 Big Eight battle against the Oklahoma State Cowboys.
The Cowboys and Tigers first met as conference opponents in football in 1960, and Mizzou won 28-7 at Memorial Stadium in Columbia. The Tigers racked up more than 300 yards on the ground, with Mizzou legend Mel West leading the way at tailback.
The Tigers lead the all-time series against their neighbors to the southwest 28-23.
Note: Oklahoma State was a member of the Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association, the athletic conference Mizzou co-founded, from 1925 to 1928. But Missouri, Kansas, Kansas State, Iowa State, Nebraska and Oklahoma broke away to form the Big Six Conference in 1928, and the Aggies were not invited. Colorado was invited to join to form the Big Seven conference in 1947, and Oklahoma State was invited to rejoin in 1957, officially forming the Big Eight.
Travel with the Tigers
You're invited to join the Mizzou Alumni Association on the Official Cotton Bowl Tour. As a passenger on the official Mizzou Tour, you will enjoy:
- Admission to official Mizzou events
- VIP treatment along the way
- The convenience of MAA handling all of your travel details
- Camaraderie with fellow Tigers fans
Several travel options are available, including air/land and land-only packages. To book, visit Mizzou Sports Travel online or call 800-588-5527. To order tickets only, fans should visit Mizzou Athletics online or call 800-CAT-PAWS.
Details for the bowl game edition of the Tiger Tailgate, an event that drew more than 5,000 fans at the SEC Championship, will be announced later this week. Follow the Mizzou Alumni Association's Bowl Central for updates.
