Cotton Bowl eyes future place in the BCS

The Cotton Bowl, embarking on a three-year push that could result in it being one of the coveted BCS bowls, got the "perfect storm for us" when Oklahoma State and Ole Miss landed in Saturday's game.

The Cotton Bowl, in what is being called "the most significant move for us in decades," will be played at Cowboys Stadium.

"I don't have any idea what the BCS is going to look like in the future," said Cotton Bowl President Rick Baker. "But, starting with this game this year, we have put ourselves in a position to be seriously considered if the BCS is tweaked."

The Cowboys and Rebels are the stars in the first Cotton Bowl to be played away from its namesake stadium at Texas State Fair Park just east of downtown Dallas.

Regardless of what happens on the field in the game, OSU and Ole Miss will forever be linked with the Cotton Bowl's efforts to return the game to the mountaintop of collegiate football.

The Cotton Bowl, one of the traditional New Year's Day bowls, lost its stature among the biggest games in college football when the Southwest Conference collapse coincided with the establishment of the BCS formula to set up a national championship game.

When the BCS games were picked, the Cotton was left on the outside as the Orange, Rose, Fiesta and Sugar became the rotation for the top-tier bowls and the rotating host of the BCS National
Championship Game.

That was then. This is now.

"I don't think there is any doubt that this move to Cowboys Stadium makes us relevant once again," said Baker. "This is the biggest game we've had in a very, very long time.

"There was no doubt that our Achilles heel as one of the top bowls was our weather. With this move, we've taken the weather out of the equation. In addition, we will be playing in the best football stadium in the world. Everyone at this game will be in the best stadium with perfect weather to watch a football game. This is what we've been working toward for six years, long before we knew where this stadium would be or what it would be."

The move is literally a game changer for the Cotton Bowl.

The only negative has been removed.

Now, the Cotton Bowl will be able to sell all of its positives. It is in the middle of the country. It is in one of the biggest recruiting areas in college football. It is in one of the largest and most supportive business regions for college football.

The Cotton Bowl also can sell history as one of the most tradition-rich bowl games.

"One of the biggest games in college football should be played somewhere in Texas every year," said Baker. "I think we can put on as good of a show as any bowl in the country.

"We are right in the center of the country. We are a driving trip for just about any fan base. Every team in the country recruits here. Some of the best college football in the country is played in this region. We have the corporate support that believes and supports college football. This is a natural home for college football."

No question the Cotton Bowl, with this move, has nothing but positives. Oklahoma State and Ole Miss will get to be on the front end of what most believe will be a long and glorious rise back to the top of college football's bowl structure.

"We've been working with the Cowboys for six years on making this happen, and everything about it has gotten bigger and better than we could have hoped," said Baker. "I don't think there is any doubt that our game can now stand on par with any bowl game out there."

Certainly, the Cotton Bowl, even during some tough times over the last 15 years, has maintained its well-earned reputation as the most professionally run and enjoyable games for players, coaches, school administrators, media and fans.

Most media consider the Cotton Bowl to be superior, in organization and how it is structured, to any of the current BCS bowls. The game has the same reputation with participating teams.

"That is a reputation we've worked very hard to attain over the years," said Baker. "We want to send people home with smiles.

"I think this year you'll see nothing but smiles, especially from all of us associated with the bowl. We've waited a long time for this game."

Any changes in the current BCS agreement, which could result in the Cotton Bowl being elevated into a rotation with the current BCS bowls, is still four years away because of the current BCS contract.

Baker knows this first game at Cowboys Stadium will "set the table" for the future of the game.

It is a sellout. OSU and Ole Miss sold out their initial allotments of 12,500 tickets each in a matter of minutes. They quickly sold an additional 1,000 tickets sent to the schools. In addition, Dallas-Fort Worth fans snapped up the remaining general public available tickets.

All 71,167 seats are sold, and sponsorship, corporate luxury boxes and parking are gone.

"We weren't included in the original BCS rotation for a couple of reasons," said Baker. "The Southwest Conference was breaking up at the time, so we didn't really have anyone to champion our cause. And, the BCS folks were very honest. They did not want to put the biggest game of the college football season in a stadium where there was the possibility of very bad weather.

"Well, that weather issue is done. I think we'll prove, starting with this game, that we are worthy to be in that mix."



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