COLLEGE STATION, Texas – After accepting a bid to the 75th AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic earlier in the week, the Aggies of Texas A&M found out on Sunday their opponent will be the LSU Tigers from the SEC. The game is set for Jan. 7, 2011, in Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
The Aggies, currently ranked No. 17 by USA Today and No. 18 by The Associated Press, won a share of the Big 12 South title and posted an overall record of 9-3 winning their final six games, including two victories over Top 10 teams, in the regular season. The LSU Tigers finished the regular season 10-2 and are ranked No. 11 by the AP and No. 12 by USA Today.
“We are very excited about playing in the 75th AT&T Cotton Bowl in Cowboys Stadium in Arlington,” Director of Athletics Bill Byrne said. “The bowl was founded on great hospitality and that continues today. We played in the 50th Cotton Bowl Classic and we have quite a history with LSU. You have two fan bases among the country’s most supportive and passionate. We have played one of the toughest schedules in the country and it is appropriate we will face a great challenge from a quality LSU program. It should make for one of the best matchups in the bowl season.”
This marks the 32nd overall bowl appearance for Texas A&M and the Aggies have a 13-18 record in those bowl games. The first bowl appearance by A&M came in Dallas at the Dixie Classic in 1922. The Aggies faced Centre College and the legend of the 12th Man was born as E. King Gill came out of the stands and stood ready to help the Aggies. Ever since then, the Texas A&M student body has stood throughout the football games.
This will mark the 12th Cotton Bowl appearance for the Aggies with a record of 4-7 in the Classics and A&M has a 2-2 record against SEC teams in the Cotton Bowl.
The first appearance came in 1941 against Fordham with the Aggies winning, 13-12. The Aggies would return the next year to face Alabama and lost on Jan. 1, 1942, 29-21, despite holding the Crimson Tide to one first down. The next appearance in Dallas would be a rematch of that 1942 game as the Aggies faced the Crimson Tide on Jan. 1, 1968. The head coach of the Aggies was Gene Stallings and the head coach of the Crimson Tide was Paul “Bear” Bryant. The pupil, Coach Stallings, would defeat the teacher, Coach Bryant, and Bryant would lift Stallings off of the ground at the midfield handshake. The next Cotton Bowl appearance would be the 50th Classic as the Aggies faced another SEC foe in the Auburn Tigers and the Heisman Trophy winner Bo Jackson on Jan. 1, 1986. The Wrecking Crew Aggie defense had a goal line stand against Jackson and the Tigers in the fourth quarter and A&M would win, 36-16. It marked the first of three straight appearances for head coach Jackie Sherrill and the Aggies. A&M would defeat another Heisman winner in 1988 at the Aggies beat Tim Brown and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, 35-10. The 1987 Classic was a 28-12 defeat at the hands of the Ohio State Buckeyes. Aggie head coach R.C. Slocum would lead A&M to the Cotton Bowl for three consecutive years dropping a 10-2 defensive struggle to the Florida State Seminoles in 1992 before dropping back-to-back games to Notre Dame, 28-3 in the 1993 Classic and a close, 24-21 decision in the 1994 matchup. A&M and Slocum would return to Dallas at the end of the 1997 season after winning the Big 12 South title the Aggies drew the UCLA Bruins in Dallas and UCLA edged A&M, 29-23. The most recent appearance came in the 2005 Classic as head coach Dennis Franchione led the Aggies against Tennessee and the Vols came away with a 38-7 win,
“Our football team is excited about going to the Cotton Bowl,” Aggie head football coach Mike Sherman said. “The matchup with LSU presents a great challenge against a very talented and well-coached opponent. Our players are very aware of the Tigers’ success and look forward to this game.”
Sherman was part of Slocum’s first football staff in 1989 and has been to the Cotton Bowl three times (1992-1993-1994).
“What I recall from my previous trips to the Cotton Bowl is the outstanding hospitality,” Sherman recalled. “The bowl really does a great job of taking care of the players and makes the experience one to remember.”
“Playing in the same stadium which will host the Super Bowl soon after our game allows our players to experience a unique national spotlight in one of the best venues in all of sports,” Sherman explained. “As a team, we are honored to be selected to play in the historic 75th AT&T Cotton Bowl and look enthusiastically toward playing an old rival and a very good team in the LSU Tigers.”
The two schools have a rich history with LSU holding a 26-20-3 advantage in the all-time series which dates back to 1899 with A&M winning the first meeting, 52-0, in College Station. The Aggies have won the last five meetings between the schools, which includes a 33-17 victory at Kyle Field in the 1995 game, the last meeting between the two teams. From 1960 through 1975, the Aggies faced LSU every year in Baton Rouge with LSU posting a 12-3-1 mark. The series was renewed in 1986 and continued through 1995 rotating between College Station and Baton Rouge with A&M holding a 6-4 advantage in that 10-game set. The schools have met once in a bowl game with LSU winning, 19-14, in the 1944 Orange Bowl. The Aggie group, better known as the “Kiddie Corps” since many of the cadets were serving in the military during World War II, was led by coach Homer Norton who had led the Aggies to the 1939 Associated Press National Championship. A&M had defeated the Tigers, 28-13, in Baton Rouge earlier in the 1943 regular season.
Aggie senior center Matt Allen, from Spring, Texas, was a part of two LSU bowl teams including the 2007 National Championship team. He transferred to Texas A&M when Coach Sherman took over the Aggie program.
“I am excited about this game,” Allen said. “I still have some good friends on the LSU team. One thing is for certain, LSU is very talented and they will be a great challenge. I have really enjoyed being a part of this Aggie team and the way we have responded to challenges this year.”
Senior defensive captain Von Miller, from DeSoto, Texas, had this to say about the matchup.
“LSU is a great team and they have some great players and coaches,” Miller said. “I am excited about getting another chance to play a football game with my brothers here in Aggieland. These are some of the reasons I came back for my senior year and it is extra special getting to play in my backyard, the Cotton Bowl.”