“We’re very excited about being here again. The Cotton Bowl always does a great job in hosting their teams. I’ve said many times, their team takes a lot of pride in the bowl experience and it shows. Certainly AT&T Stadium is one of the best game environments there are throughout college football and the NFL. It’s a great setting.”
“
The College Football Playoff Semifinal at the 89th Goodyear Cotton Bowl was the most watched Classic in history with 20.6 million viewers. The game on ESPN produced the best Friday telecast across all networks, all genres and sports properties in four-plus years. The Classic also enjoyed the second-highest attendance of all bowl games with a sellout crowd of 74,527 at AT&T Stadium.
20.6M +74K
20.6 Million Viewers 2 nd 3 rd 4 th 1 st The college football playoff semifinal at the 89th Goodyear cotton bowl classic
Hotel Revenue
Record merchandise & concessions Sales
Most watched Goodyear Cotton bowl classic ever
• best friday telecast across all networks, all genres, & Sports properties in 4+ years
• 22.7 Million Peak Viewers
Historic social metrics
It was a reunion of former roommates that ultimately decided the 2025 College Football Playoff Semifinal at the 89th Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic.
With two minutes left and Texas threatening, Ohio State senior defensive end Jack Sawyer crashed into Texas junior quarterback Quinn Ewers, forcing a fumble that Sawyer returned 83 yards for a touchdown.
The scoop-and-score was the decisive play in the 28-14 Ohio State victory. Sawyer and Ewers were freshman roommates at Ohio State before Ewers transferred to Texas.
The win put eighth-seeded Ohio State in the CFP National Championship against seventh-seeded Notre Dame, where the Buckeyes won their ninth college football national championship. This season marked the first year for the playoff to expand from four teams to 12, and the CFP couldn’t have asked for a more dramatic, hardhitting CFP Semifinal at AT&T Stadium.
The first half ended in a final-minute flurry after the defenses initially grabbed the spotlight. Ohio State scored on its opening possession with a methodical, 10play drive. Junior running back Quinshon Judkins dodged traffic up the middle for a nine-yard touchdown run.
Ohio State followed with several promising drives, but each was scuttled by penalties. Meanwhile, the Buckeyes kept Texas in check by sacking Ewers three times in the half.
Texas appeared to send the game to halftime with a 7-7 tie score when Ewers hit junior running back Jaydon Blue for an 18-yard touchdown with 29 seconds left. Ohio State had other ideas as Howard dropped a screen pass to senior running back TreVeyon Henderson, who put on a burst of speed for a 75-yard touchdown. The Buckeyes reclaimed the lead, 14-7, with just 13 seconds remaining in the half.
Texas had its own memorable moments on defense, highlighted by senior linebacker David Gbenda’s interception to thwart Ohio State’s drive to start the second half. The Longhorns also held Ohio State’s outstanding freshman wide receiver Jeremiah Smith to one reception for three yards. Smith came into the game with 70 catches for 1,224 yards and 14 touchdowns.
Texas set the stage for the fourth-quarter fireworks when Ewers found Blue for a 26-yard touchdown pass. It was Blue’s second touchdown catch and the 12-play scoring drive tied the score at 14-14.
Ohio State took a 21-14 lead with 7:02 remaining after a grueling, 13-play, 88-yard drive. The key moment came when the Buckeyes faced fourthand-two at the Texas 34-yard line. Howard kept the ball and powered forward for an 18-yard gain. He would go on to be named the Most Valuable Offensive Player and receive the J. Curtis Sanford Trophy. Four plays later, Judkins slammed into the end zone from the one-yard line.
Then it was Ewers’ turn to lead Texas (13-3, 7-1 Southeastern Conference) on a potential gamechanging drive, but the Longhorns ran into a Buckeye brick wall after reaching the Buckeyes’ one-yard line. A first-down run up the middle went nowhere. A pitch play lost seven yards thanks to the swarming safety duo of sophomore Caleb Downs and senior Lathan Ransom.
On third down, a pass by Ewers was tipped at the line of scrimmage. The ensuing fourth-andgoal from the eight-yard line set the stage for the game’s biggest play by Sawyer, who earned Most Valuable Defensive Player honors and the Felix R. McKnight Trophy.
The Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic is one of the largest economic impact generators for annual events in North Texas. In a report created by Highland Market Research, LLC, the Classic generates close to $54 million in direct economic impact and $45 million in indirect economic impact on an annual basis.
The 89th Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic campaign was a fully integrated sports marketing effort designed to elevate the game’s prestige, drive ticket sales, and create an unforgettable fan experience. Leveraging the College Football Playoff’s momentum, Texas-based agency Medium Giant, built a cohesive brand presence across social media, digital, print, and citywide activations, ensuring the game was visible throughout North Texas and beyond.
Rooted in powerful symbolism, this concept draws from the grandeur of North Texas architecture and the mythic speed of Hermes, Goodyear’s divine namesake, both embodying precision, strength, and the relentless pursuit of greatness. By weaving a mythology-inspired creative theme into all touchpoints from stadium signage to guerrilla marketing, the game was positioned as an epic showdown of resilience and triumph, reinforcing its national significance.
CAMPAIGN COLLATERAL
The Goodyear Huddle Up Fan Fest enjoyed a record crowd on game day thanks in large part to a pregame performance by DJ Diesel aka Shaquille O’Neal. In addition, fans enjoyed team pep rallies, midway games, sponsor activations and giveaways and food trucks.
For the first time, the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic, in partnership with FlyLight, produced a postgame drone show from the east side of AT&T Stadium. The 12-minute show incorporated 800 drones to make it one of the largest drone shows ever produced for a college football event.
The Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic hosted the Ewing Automotive Group Classic Keynote on September 18 at the George W. Bush Presidential Center on the campus of Southern Methodist University.
Headlined by NCAA President Charlie Baker and former Alabama Football Head Coach Nick Saban with ESPN’s Heather Dinich serving as the moderator and the Voice of the Classic and Dallas Cowboys Brad Sham as the master of ceremonies, the exclusive VIP event featured a panel discussion delving into the hot topics affecting college football and college athletics. The panel was wrapped by an opportunity for networking among civic dignitaries and sports leaders trailblazers and innovators to celebrate the convergence of community, family and the future of college football.
The digital home of the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic, GoodyearCottonBowl.com, unveiled a new look and feel on August 8 with a cleaner navigation that was optimized for use across all platforms and devices.
The redesigned site pulled in solid numbers in the key analytics during the calendar year of 2024.
125.9K 157.8K 243.3K
Users Sessions Page Views
During Bowl Season (December 1, 2024 to January 21, 2025), GoodyearCottonBowl.com drew 238,089 total users, 327,825 sessions and 487,022 page views.
GameDay.GoodyearCottonBowl.com
As a part of the redesigned digital home, the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic offered a revamped digital fan guide with a bold design offering a one-stop option for ticket information, bowl week events and game day maps and timeline. The fourth year of producing a digital guide centered on information around game day drew 20,453 unique users and 36,910 page views mostly during December and January leading up to the 89th Classic.
The digital home of the Cotton Bowl Foundation provided an integrated platform to showcase the initiatives of the official foundation of the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic through its grants program, collaborations with the College Football Playoff Foundation and area food banks, support of the Kilgore College Rangerettes and work in the North Texas community.
The Cotton Bowl Classic Mobile App, available on iOS and Android devices, continued to be a reliable source to consume information related to the 89th Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic – from access to tickets and parking passes via SeatGeek to details about the game and related events and activities – and stay connected on the go with the Classic’s social media platforms. During the heart of the postseason around the College Football Playoff games leading up to the 89th Classic, the Mobile App drew in 3,869 users and 8,863 views to the game’s ticket page via the app. In total, the app produced 28,787 page views during the calendar year of 2024.
The social media presence for the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic and Cotton Bowl Foundation continued to post notable numbers in key metrics across multiple platforms. 2024 was a unique calendar year without a Classic played during the 12-month span with the 88th Classic on December 29, 2023 and the College Football Playoff Semifinal at the 89th Classic on January 10, 2025.
Media Mentions
The media mentions for the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic posted solid numbers in 2024 with 2,500 total mentions and an estimated potential reach of 23.9 billion article views.
The Classic’s brand sentiment across social media platforms also improved by 9 points to an overall positive sentiment to nearly 100 percent with a net sentiment score of +20, a year-over-year improvement of 8 points, and a Meltwater Score of 67.
Hashtags
Across tracked sources from Meltwater, the primary hashtags of #LikeNoOther and #GoodyearCottonBowl garnered significant increases in mentions across the entire year with notable numbers during the seven-week Bowl Season stretch around the 2025 College Football Playoff Semifinal at the 89th Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic.
#LikeNoOther
Reach 357M +870%
Mentions 1.72K
Engagement 66.5K
Bowl Season
December 1-January 21
#likenoother
Reach 251M
Mentions 16.1K
Engagement 298K
#GoodyearCottonBowl
Reach 32.5M +26%
Mentions 35.6K +648%
Engagement 1.26M +494%
#GoodyearCottonBowl
Reach 23M
Mentions 3.47K
Engagement 201K
The year-long social media strategy for 2024 built once again on the foundational pillars of Promote the Game, Capture Nostalgia, Participate in Conversation and Partnerships & Community. The content distributed across platforms continued to focus on seasonal themes to keep the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic and Cotton Bowl Foundation relevant throughout the year. Interactive opportunities to engage with followers as well as jumping in on fun and trending content were integrated into the content plan to round out a diverse approach to grow across platforms.
An evolving aspect of the social media strategy during the Bowl Season (December 1, 2024 to January 21, 2025) and on game day for the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic included partnerships with social media influencers for the third straight year. The Classic continued a partnership with DallasSites and forged new partnerships with influencers like Dallas Texas TV and The Mom Game Podcast to promote the game and fancentric events across the popular platform that has a huge presence in North Texas and Austin. On game day, The Classic engaged with North Texas-area influencers to enjoy the game up close and comment about their experiences across their respective platforms.
The diverse content approach to promote the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic and Cotton Bowl Foundation once again included using channels on GIPHY (GIPHY. com/CottonBowlClassic) and YouTube (YouTube.com/ CottonBowlClassic). The Classic’s GIPHY channel garnered 50.6 million GIF and sticker views and YouTube channel increased its subscribers during the calendar year of 2024.
With new content posted during Bowl Season (December 1, 2024 to January 21, 2025), both platforms pulled in solid numbers surrounding the College Football Playoff Semifinal at the 89th Classic. The GIPHY channel pulled in 9.5 million GIF and sticker views. The YouTube channel drew 13,756 views, 908.3 watch hours and added 125 subscribers. The YouTube playlist for the 89th Classic features 76 videos that tell the visual journey from the unveiling of branding for the 89th Classic to the bowl week recap.
The social media metrics, both from yearly and 2025 College Football Playoff Semifinal at the 89th Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic Bowl Season comparisons, saw notable increases across the key measurables.
bowl Season (December 1, 2024 to January 21, 2025)
ENGAGEMENTS
ENGAGEMENTS
ENGAGEMENTS
ENGAGEMENTS
ENGAGEMENTS
ENGAGEMENTS
The year-round distribution strategy for the Cotton Bowl Connection newsletter remained intact with monthly editions from January to August and weekly installments through the heart of the college football season from September to November and targeted installments in December and January surrounding the 2025 College Football Playoff Semifinal at the 89th Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic.
Print ads
18
Digital ads
8 3 66 6.09M
1.9M ADS ADS FRONT PAGE PROMOTIONS CAMPAIGN DAYS IMPRESSIONS NOV-JAN IMPRESSIONS CLICKS: 1,810 CTR: .09%
In October, the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic earned a gold recognition as the Best Annual Sports Event for the third consecutive year from The Dallas Morning News as part of its 2024 Best in DFW Awards.
The annual awards competition is voted on by residents across the Dallas-Fort Worth footprint. The Classic earned gold in the Best Annual Sports Event subcategory under the Things to Do category ahead of the CJ Cup Byron Nelson.
For the sixth consecutive year, the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic partnered with the Football Writers Association of America to unveil the FWAA All-America Team. The 2024 team was headlined by five repeat All-Americans and 16 players on teams that competed in the College Football Playoff and players from 40 different schools. Players from the expanded Big Ten and Southeastern Conferences make up 27, or half, of the 54-member team with nine of the Football Bowl Subdivision conferences represented plus an Independent.
“The Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic is proud to continue our partnership with the FWAA to promote one of the most prestigious All-America teams in college football. “ said Kelvin Walker, Chair, Cotton Bowl Athletic Association and Cotton Bowl Foundation. “These student-athletes deserve to be recognized for their outstanding play on the field this season. We celebrate their impact on the game that so many of us love and appreciate.”
The Cotton Bowl created commemorative footballs that were distributed to all players on the first and second team. Each winner also received a certificate. The FWAA All-America Team was promoted via a press release, a social media campaign and as part of the in-game center-hung scoreboard production at the CFP Semifinal at the 89th Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic.
Making an impact that is felt for years to come remains at the forefront of the philanthropic direction of the Cotton Bowl Foundation.
The official foundation of the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic continues its mission to impact those who play the game, attend the game and support the game of football. From its grants program to the College Football Playoff Foundation Big Day for Teachers to North Texas Giving Day, the Foundation has supported a diverse collection of organizations and initiatives striving to uplift the North Texas community and beyond over the past year.
Since 2016, the Cotton Bowl Foundation has awarded more than $3.5 million in grants and financial support benefiting nonprofit organizations in the surrounding communities.
The Cotton Bowl Foundation and College Football Playoff Foundation teamed up once again to make it a Big Day for Teachers on September 17 during the 2024 edition of Extra Yard for Teachers Week, awarding a total of $200,000 to four organizations dedicated to supporting teachers, educators and students in the North Texas community.
The celebration inside the home of the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic at AT&T Stadium provided the perfect backdrop to extend grants of $50,000 each to Catch Up & Read, The Educator Collective, Principal Impact Collaborative at UNT Dallas and United to Learn. The Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic and CFP Foundation made it an extra special big day for the four organizations providing Classic-branded backpacks filled with gifts and Extra Yard for Teachers bags filled with EYFT-branded gifts. The backpacks for the four educators representing the organizations included an extra special gift, receiving two tickets each to the 2025 CFP Semifinal at the 89th Classic.
The Cotton Bowl Foundation and CFP Foundation have been partners in helping teachers be successful inside and outside of classrooms for more than a decade. The CFP Foundation is the largest sports entity in America that supports education as its primary platform. The Big Day for Teachers, a part of Extra Yard for Teachers Week, is the largest single-day effort of community impact by the extended college football family.
The Cotton Bowl Foundation took a different approach to North Texas Giving Day 2024. Instead of raising money, the Foundation surprised one of its 2024-25 grant recipients…twice.
AT LAST! was surprised during the August 23 WFAA-TV Daybreak morning newscast at AT&T Stadium. With the home of the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic as the backdrop, the Foundation presented a check for $10,000.
On the giving day’s final day on September 19, the Cotton Bowl Foundation surprised AT LAST! Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Randy Bowman again at the organization’s facility in the South Oak Cliff neighborhood in Dallas with an additional $15,000, amplifying the initial donation of $10,000.
The $25,000 in surprise donations were a part of the $50,000 that AT LAST! received as a 2024-25 Cotton Bowl Foundation grant recipient. AT LAST! used its $50,000 grant to expand its footprint to grow its Scholars-In-Residence program.
The Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic and Tarrant Area Food Bank collaborated with several community partners for the fifth year in a row to host its 2024 Thanksgiving Mega Mobile Market on November 21 at AT&T Stadium.
It was a sunny, autumn day perfect to champion the North Texas community as Thanksgiving-related meals were provided to 5,417 families. In total, 380,000 pounds of food and 316,000 meals were distributed in Tarrant Area Food Bank’s largest mass food distribution event of the year. Each bag of nutritious food per family included a turkey or chicken, pantry items such as green beans and stuffing, fresh produce and other nonperishable items needed to complete a holiday meal.
For the second straight year, the Cotton Bowl Foundation and longtime Classic partner American Airlines each presented $10,000 to Tarrant Area Food Bank. The $20,000 donation, which equals 100,000 meals, was earmarked to support TAFB’s mission to alleviate hunger and improve health across its 13-county service area.
The Cotton Bowl Classic and Tarrant Area Food Bank once again captained a team of community partners that included support from AT&T Stadium and the Dallas Cowboys. Stadium and Cowboys employees along with 300 American Airlines staff members and 12 CBAA Council members worked the distribution lines with the Arlington Police and Fire departments managing and aiding with the event logistics for the four-hour event. The protein and portions of the food distributed were secured by the collective efforts of the MW Cares Foundation, MW Logistics and Albertsons/Tom Thumb.
The more than 500 volunteers on hand were provided lunch from Chickfil-A courtesy of the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic and Classic partner TicketEStore provided snacks throughout the morning and assisted in one of the distribution lines.
This Mega Mobile Market marked the fifth straight year that Tarrant Area Food Bank and the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic teamed up to host a holiday distribution event and the sixth time the two organizations have collaborated to lead mass distribution events at AT&T Stadium. The six Mega Mobile Markets at AT&T Stadium (November 2020, May 2021, November 2021, November 2022, November 2023 and November 2024) have combined to provide food to 29,046 families.
In its signature giving opportunity of the year, the Cotton Bowl Foundation distributed $425,000 to nine deserving organizations as a part of its 2024-25 grants initiative.
The nine organizations extended 2024-25 grants were All Stars Project of Dallas ($100,000), WesleyRankin Community Center ($60,000), AT LAST! ($50,000), T.R. Hoover Community Development Corporation ($50,000), Metro Sports Field House ($48,500), Distinctly His Ministries ($40,000), Heart House ($40,000), Teen Life ($25,000) and Travel & Sports Legacy Foundation ($11,500).
The number of nonprofits extended grants and the total amount distributed both represent single-year highs for the Cotton Bowl Foundation’s grants initiative since its inception in 2016.
All Stars Project of Dallas
$100,000
The $100,000 grant given to All Stars Project of Dallas went to support its after-school development programs involving tens of thousands of inner-city young people and adults from all walks of life as well as its performance programs and bridge-building initiatives.
The Wesley-Rankin Community Center $60,000
The Wesley-Rankin Community Center used its $60,000 grant to enhance its educational programs for children of all grade levels and adults and emphasize math and reading enrichment, social-emotional skills and character development. at last! $50,000
AT LAST! has earmarked its $50,000 grant to expand its South Oak Cliff footprint to grow its Scholars-In-Residence program.
T.R. Hoover Community Dev. Corp. $50,000
The $50,000 grant awarded to T.R. Hoover Community Development Corporation was used to enhance, empower and deliver comprehensive, cooperative solutions that make a positive difference in the South Dallas community through offering affordable housing solutions, promoting economic growth and fostering community development.
Metro Sports Fieldhouse
$48,500
Metro Sports Fieldhouse put its $48,500 grant to work to support its mission to utilize sports as a vehicle to help youth develop essential life skills, build and maintain healthy habits and provide exposure to multiple career pathways.
Distinctly His Ministries
$40,000
The $40,000 grant extended to Distinctly His Ministries went to provide funding for its Distinct Sports program, which includes its summer college tour and Football 2 Faith summer camp.
Heart House $40,000
The $40,000 grant awarded to Heart House went directly to impact its mission to combat poverty and promote educational equity through literacy and social-emotional learning for children and families in Vickery Meadow.
Teen Life $25,000
Teen Life put its $25,000 grant towards its Support Groups initiative designed to provide a safe place for teens to talk with peers about what is going on in their lives under the guidance of a trusted adult and give them resources to face life’s challenges.
Travel & Sports Legacy Foundation $11,500
The $11,500 grant provided to the Travel & Sports Legacy Foundation supported its yearlong sports program for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Tarrant County members.
During the spring, the Cotton Bowl Foundation Board of Directors and Cotton Bowl Athletic Association staff, Board of Directors and Council members recognized its grant recipients with presentations of the Community Champion Award for a second consecutive year.
As a part of the Cotton Bowl Foundation’s philanthropic pursuits this year, the official foundation for the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic donated dollars beyond its grants initiative that will change lives for years to come in North Texas and across the country.
The Foundation extended a $10,000 grant, matching a $10,000 donation from American Airlines for the second straight year, to Tarrant Area Food Bank during the 2024 TAFB Thanksgiving Mega Mobile Market, awarded $200,000 in partnership with the College Football Playoff Foundation to Catch Up & Read, The Educator Collective, Principal Impact Collaborative at UNT Dallas and United to Learn and supported art teachers and programs in North Texas with $75,000 in grants through the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic Art Contest presented by Amazon.
This year alone, the Cotton Bowl Foundation has awarded more than $610,000 in grants to deserving organizations striving to make a difference in communities across the DallasFort Worth region.
The Cotton Bowl Athletic Association continued to make an impact in the North Texas community through its various initiatives and recognitions throughout the year.
The Cotton Bowl Foundation and Cotton Bowl Athletic Association recognized its 2024-25 grant recipients with presentations of the Community Champion Award for a second consecutive year.
The Cotton Bowl Foundation Community Champion Award was created in a similar style as the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic’s J. Curtis Sanford (Offensive Most Valuable Player) and Felix R. McKnight (Defensive Most Valuable Player) trophies. CBAA staff, Board of Directors and Council members traveled around the Dallas-Fort Worth area throughout the month of February to make the presentations and learn more about the great work that these nonprofits are doing to positively impact children and families in communities across North Texas and beyond.
The CBAA Fred McClure Internship Program welcomed two interns for the 2024-25 academic year – Kayla Beasley, a Durham, N.C., native and North Carolina State University and Florida State University graduate, and Ashleigh Anne Binz, a Charleston, S.C., native and Clemson University graduate. Beasley and Binz were the sixth and seventh individuals to garner the title of CBAA Fred McClure Intern. In 2021, the CBAA revived and renamed its internship program in honor of Fred McClure, the first African American to serve as CBAA Chair and the first person to serve two terms (1998-2002) in that role.
Beasley and Binz assisted with the day-to-day operations of the CBAA office and various operational aspects of the 2025 College Football Playoff Semifinal at the 89th Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic, including hospitality, event management, game operations, ancillary events, ticketing and pageantry, as well as supported Cotton Bowl Foundation and community service events and initiatives and the regular-season college football games played at AT&T Stadium.
The CBAA staff participated in Juneteenth 2024 by serving as volunteers for the For Oak Cliff Juneteenth Festival and Farmers Market powered by DTLR on June 15. For Oak Cliff, a 2021-22 Cotton Bowl Foundation grant recipient hosted its day of activities as a part of its recognition of the Texas-based holiday (June 19) becoming a national federal holiday. For Oak Cliff’s fourth annual event celebrated freedom, community and the rich heritage of Black cowboy culture. It honored the pioneers of the South and their enduring legacy, showcasing the history of Black cowboys and cowgirls via interactive displays, storytelling sessions, and live demonstrations of horsemanship.
34 ı 89th classic year in review
The CBAA recognized National Hispanic Heritage Month with a social media post in Español on October 2 recognizing 100 days from the 2025 College Football Playoff Semifinal at the 89th Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic and on October 15 celebrating the influence of Hispanic Americans on the game of football and in communities across the country.
The CBAA honored Women’s History Month via its website and social media platforms.
The Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic partnered with the Arlington Police Department for the fourth straight year to sponsor children participating in the Dallas Cowboys Football and Dance Academies youth camp at AT&T Stadium. This year, the two organizations collaborated to have 53 youth participate in the oneday camp on December 27, 2024.
Kilgore College Rangerettes Scholarship
For over two decades, the Cotton Bowl Foundation has funded a scholarship in honor of the Kilgore College Rangerettes, a Classic fixture since founder Gussie Nell Davis first introduced the Sweethearts of the Gridiron in 1949.
The endowed scholarship invested with the Texas Presbyterian Foundation via Kilgore College Foundation is awarded each academic year to a deserving member of the squad. For the 2024-25 academic year, two members of 84th line were awarded CBAA Rangerettes scholarship dollars – Alyssa Tai McBain, a sophomore from El Paso, Texas, for the second year in a row and Bethany Plog, a sophomore from Arlington, Texas.
The CBAA honored Black History Month via its website and social media platforms.
For the second year in a row, the CBAA amplified the NCAA Diversity & Inclusion Week Social Media Campaign. The CBAA engaged with the 2024 initiative held from October 15-17 with a post on Day 3 of the campaign that focused on the day’s theme of one step forward.
On the national day of recognition (February 5, 2025), the CBAA celebrated National Girls and Women in Sports Day via its social platforms.
On Jan. 1, 1949, the Cotton Bowl Classic hosted a historic contest, marking the first appearance of a Heisman Trophy winner in the game as SMU, powered by Doak Walker, defeated Oregon, led by legendary gunslinger Norm Van Brocklin, 21-13.
A record crowd of 69,000 turned out to watch The Doaker, the hometown legend. But they also got another glimpse of history: the first appearance of the Kilgore College Rangerettes, a decade-old drill team from a junior college 120 miles east of Dallas.
This year, the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic and the Kilgore Rangerettes – the first dance drill team to perform on a football field – celebrated the
Sweethearts of the Gridiron’s 75th anniversary of performing in the Classic, a unique partnership that no other bowl game can match. To mark the occasion, nearly 750 members of the Rangerettes Forevers, as alums are known, performed in the pregame show, including 94-year old Betty Taylor, a member of the Rangerettes 11th line in 1951.
In honor of the 75th, the Classic presented a statue of a Rangerette posing in the famous “K-girl” stance. The artwork was created from pieces of football leather by artist Blake McFarland.
The Cotton Bowl Classic Art Contest presented by Amazon celebrated another banner year with $75,000 donated to 164 schools across 25 school districts. Art teachers and educators were awarded $500 grants for art supplies, support artcentric programs and create experiences for elementary students across North Texas.
An impressive number of 10,910 entries were received for the 26th Art Contest. The students’ submissions have been laminated to be distributed as gifts to the participating teams and used as placemats at selected Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic events during bowl week. The first, second and third-place winners per category are set to have their artwork proudly displayed at their respective schools and AT&T Stadium inside the CBAA offices throughout the year. This year’s winners were also recognized in game during the 2025 College Football Playoff Semifinal at the 89th Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic.
The Dan S. Petty Scholar-Athlete Award is presented annually to two deserving student-athletes, one from each team, participating in the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic. A crowning achievement for student-athletes playing in the Classic, this recognition was created as a continuing effort to emphasize the combination of academics and athletics along with good citizenship, leadership and sportsmanship. The student-athletes are selected by the schools’ directors of athletics and football head coaches.
The two Dan S. Petty Scholar-Athlete Award winners for the 89th Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic took similar successful paths on and off the field.
Ohio State fifth-year senior quarterback Will Howard earned two degrees during his college football career, starting with an accounting degree from Kansas State University in December 2023 before using his final collegiate season at Ohio State to complete a master’s in sports coaching in December 2024. In his sole season with the Buckeyes, Howard led the Buckeyes to the 2025 College Football Playoff National Championship, winning the CFP Semifinal at the 89th Classic along the way, by setting career highs in passing yards, passing touchdowns, passer rating and completion percentage. In the classroom, the Downingtown High School product carried a 3.94 overall GPA at Ohio State and was named Academic All-District by College Sports Communicators.
Texas fifth-year senior offensive lineman Jake Majors was a four-year starting center who set a new program record with 58 career starts. A semifinalist for the 2024 Joe Moore Award, he guided the Longhorns to a 13-3 record. Majors was named the Outland Trophy National Player of the Week and SEC Co-Offensive Lineman following the Longhorns’ victory against Michigan in September. Off the field, the Prosper High School product completed his bachelor’s degree in business management with a 3.65 cumulative GPA in December 2023. A member of the 2024 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class and a finalist for the 2024 Campbell Trophy, Majors completed his postgraduate studies in sports management.
The Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic and Veteran Tickets Foundation (Vet Tix) celebrated their partnership again this year by giving hundreds of veterans, military personnel and first responders the opportunity to enjoy the bowl experience and be a part of one of the best college football games of the season. For the third consecutive year, Vet Tix selected one lucky veteran to present the official game ball on the field as part of the pregame festivities.
The Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic, in partnership with Children’s Health and Scottish Rite Hospital for Children, continued the tradition of the honorary captain program this year. Scottish Rite chose Preston as Texas’ honorary captain, and Children’s Health selected Juju as Ohio State’s honorary captain. The Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic presented jerseys to both captains, who had the honor of walking out on the field with the team captains for the coin toss and were recognized on the centerhung scoreboard during timeouts in the first quarter.
Eight individuals who helped shape the traditions of the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic and college football history will be honored with their induction into the Cotton Bowl Classic Hall of Fame during enshrinement ceremonies on May 23 at AT&T Stadium.
The honorees in the 14th Hall of Fame class include former Notre Dame fullback Jerome Bettis, Texas linebacker Randy Braband, Ole Miss head coach David Cutcliffe, Nebraska running back Tony Davis, Cotton Bowl Athletic Association Ambassador/Chair/Team Selection Chair Fin Ewing, Cotton Bowl historian Charlie Fiss, Auburn running back Bo Jackson, and Alabama linebacker DeMeco Ryans.
The 2025 Hall of Fame class was announced during the Ewing Automotive Group Classic Keynote panel discussion at the George W. Bush Presidential Center in Dallas on Wednesday, Sept. 18. These eight honorees add their names to a group that has grown to 92 men and women who have left an indelible mark on the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic, one of America’s original bowl games.
The Dallas Cowboys completed the first phase of $295 million in upgrades and improvements to AT&T Stadium’s south side before the 2024 season. The improvements to the north side of the stadium began shortly after the conclusion of the 89th Classic. Every suite and club area on both sides of the stadium will be renovated in time for the 2025-26 season and the 2026 World Cup as AT&T Stadium is set to host nine soccer matches, including the first semifinal.
The new Arlington Convention Center and the new Loews Arlington hotel opened in February of 2024, attracting national and international conventions to the Arlington area. Additionally, in September, Loews announced a new $410 million upscale hotel project to replace the Sheraton at 1300 Ballpark Way. The new hotel is scheduled for completion in June 2028.
Additionally, in late March, the new National Medal of Honor Museum opened its doors in a remarkable opening ceremony. The new museum honors those who have been awarded the nation’s highest military honor. It also will serve as host for the Cotton Bowl Classic Hall of Fame dinner the night before the induction ceremony.
These new developments are all within walking distance of AT&T Stadium, providing tremendous opportunities for fans attending future Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classics.
The Cotton Bowl Athletic Association extended its media outreach with addition of the Ewing Automotive Group Classic Keynote event in September to go along with its media push in December and January surrounding the 2025 College Football Playoff Semifinal at the 89th Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic.
A combination of CBAA Chair Kelvin Walker and staff members conducted interviews with local, regional and national media outlets on various topics, including the unveiling of the Cotton Bowl Classic Hall of Fame Class of 2025, the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic hosting a CFP Semifinal for the fourth time, the first season of the 12-team College Football Playoff and the work and impact of the Cotton Bowl Foundation across the North Texas community.
Overall, the coordinated media opportunities garnered a total reach of 12.3 million and a total media value of $122,000.
W. Mike Baggett
Craig Baker
Rick Baker
Lance Barrow
Camille Barton
Robbie Baty
Elizabeth Bentrup
Baxter Billingsley
Julie Bosché
Matthew Bowman
Gillian Breidenbach
Dave Brown
Roland Burns
J. Larry Cantrell
Heath Cheek
Monica Christopher
Lane Conner
John F. Crawford
Ron DeFeo
Brent DeRaad
Joseph P. DeWoody
A.R. (Buddy) Dike
Jason Dixon
W. Kelvin Walker, Chair
Rick Baker, President
Gillian Breidenbach
Kelly Ann Doherty
Cole Dulaney
Chad Estis
Finley (Fin) Ewing, III
Jeff Fehlis
R. Bruce Gadd
Ali Greenwood
Charles (Chuck) Henderson
Michael Henderson
Nick Henderson
Terrance Henderson
Darrell Hernandez
Isabell Novakov Higginbotham
Cindy Hourigan
Carl R. Ice
William D. Jackman
J. Stephen Jones
Rod Jones
Matthew A. Kairis
Andrew Lauck
Tim Leahy
Greg Leftwich
Ryan Long
Stephen Luskey
Todd Macsuga
Kyle Manley
Jeff Matthews
Jay McAuley
Fred McClure
Jeremy McGown
Baker Montgomery
Jeff Montgomery
Dat Nguyen
Daniel P. Novakov
Greg Oliver
Bry Patton
Monica Paul
Griffin Perry
Kasey Pipes
Mandy Price
Brad Ramsey
William Christopher Reeder
Christian Rodriguez
Bruce Roy
Christopher Roy
Ketric Sanford
Dave Brown
Joseph P. DeWoody
Isabell Novakov Higginbotham
Art Barnes
Lauren Barnicle
Nicole Britenriker
Brayden Burnett
Grant Garlock
Margaux Gill
Ashley Givens
David Haines
Ian Hall
Leslie Harris
Harrison Holmes
Cohen Howard
Matt Joeckel
Rick Baker
Kayla Beasley
Ashleigh Anne Binz
Allie Dye
Will Estel
Charlie Fiss
Lisa Fortenberry
Deneldric Hudgens
William D. Jackman
Fred McClure
Marty MacInnis – Secretary/Treasurer
David Krieghbaum
Chris Miner
Cody Moorse – Chair
Garrett Nerren
Tanner Newton
Klacie Norris
Michael Konradi
Marty MacInnis
Christa Melia
Kathy Saunders
John Field Scovell
Dr. John Field Scovell III
Brad Sham
Jim Ray Smith
Robert Smith, III
Andrew Springate
John D. Steinmetz
John Stewart
Mike Sweet
Jake Wagner
Ryan Waldron
S. Denton Walker III
W. Kelvin Walker
Kevin Watler
Blake Wiley
Jim Williams, Jr.
Derrick Wilson
Karen Wilson-Torres
Eric Winton
Ramsay Woodall
Vickie Yakunin
Ashley Zickefoose
Greg Oertel – Ex-Officio
Cody Moorse – Council Rep.
Logan Passmore
Kheana Pollard
Christina Sanders
Deren Wilcox
Andrew Wiley
Jeneca Willis
Kelly Newell
Tiffany Rauschkolb
Scottie Rodgers
Amy Scott
