1976 Cotton Bowl Classic

The 1976 Cotton Bowl Classic was a post-season college football bowl game between the co-Southwest Conference champion #18 Arkansas Razorbacks^[1] and the #12 Georgia Bulldogs. Arkansas defeated Georgia, 31-10 in front of 77,500 spectators.^[2]

Setting

Arkansas

Arkansas finished the regular season 9-2, came into the game on a five-game winning streak. The Hogs were part of a three-way tie for the Southwest Conference Championship with Texas and Texas A&M. The Hogs lost to Texas, 18-24, but gave #2 Texas A&M its first loss in the regular season finale. The 31-6 upset of the Aggies in War Memorial Stadium is one of the most memorable games in Razorback football history.

Georgia

Georgia was 9-2 entering the game, tied for second in the Southeastern Conference.

Game summary

The Bulldogs took an early 10-3 lead. Arkansas wouldn't score a touchdown until Georgia's QB Ray Goff tried a 'shoestring' play. He bent as if to tie his shoe and flipped the ball to Gene Washington, a legal play as long as in one motion, but Razorback Hal McAfee scooped up the ball at the 13 yardline.^[3] Ike Forte scored for the Hogs, knotting the game at 10. The two teams skirmished to a 0-0 tie in the third period, with Arkansas missing three field goals, before the Hogs exploded for 21 unanswered to close the game.

References