1941 Cotton Bowl Classic

The 1941 Cotton Bowl Classic was notable for it being the 5th since the Classic began in 1937. It featured the Texas A&M Aggies and the Fordham Rams. It was the first Cotton Bowl under Southwest Conference sponsorship and the first sold out game.

Background

This was A&M's third bowl game appearance, having played in the 1922 Dixie Classic (most famous for the birth of the 12th Man) and the 1940 Sugar Bowl. A&M was co-champions of the Southwestern Conference along with SMU, due to A&M losing to Texas, which cost them a shot at the National Championship. This was Fordham's first bowl game for a program that had suspended football twice. They had been ranked as high as 11th before losing to St. Mary's.

Game Summary

Steve Filipowicz started the scoring in the second quarter with his touchdown run, but Steve Hudacek's extra point was blocked by Jim Sterling. Trailing 6-0 into the second half, Earl "Alabama" Smith caught a 60 yard pass from Marion Pugh on a trick play in which Smith whizzed by Fordham defenders who had failed to notice him as the ball was snapped. The extra point was blocked, though. John Kimbrough made it 13-6 A&M with his touchdown run as the third quarter ended. Fordham recovered a fumble, and James Blumenstock scored on a touchdown run. But on the extra point attempt to tie the game, Hudacek's extra point was once again blocked, this time by Martin Ruby, with 12 minutes to go. But from that point on, neither team scored again as A&M won their first Cotton Bowl, which they would not win again until 1968.^[1]

Aftermath

The following season, A&M would play in the Cotton Bowl again, but they lost.

Fordham went to the 1942 Sugar Bowl next season. It is their last bowl game.

Statistics

References