1949 Cotton Bowl Classic

The 1949 Cotton Bowl Classic was a post-season game between the SMU Mustangs and the Oregon Webfoots. 20 points were scored in the final quarter.^[1]

Background

SMU, despite losing for the first time in 1946, had a banner year once again as Doak Walker won the Heisman Trophy and led SMU to their 2nd consecutive Southwest Conference championship and 2nd straight Cotton Bowl. Oregon had only played in two bowl games, the last being the 1920 Rose Bowl. They shared the Pacific Coast Conference championship with California, who they did not play that season. While the Bears got the Rose Bowl, the Webfoots (in a break of PCC tradition) were sent to the Cotton Bowl. They were coached by Jim Aiken and led by Norm Van Brocklin.

Game summary

For the second straight Cotton Bowl, Doak Walker started the scoring, this time with a 1-yard touchdown run. Most notable in the game was SMU's deep punts, one by Doak Walker for 79 and one by Kyle Rote for 84, which was crucial in pinning the Webfoots in their own territory. In the third quarter, Kyle Rote added to the lead with a 36-yard touchdown run. As the fourth quarter began, so did the scoring. Norm Van Brocklin threw a pass to Dick Williams to narrow the lead, but the kick failed, making it only 14–6. But SMU retaliated with their own score on a Chicken Roberts touchdown run. Oregon scored once more on a Bob Sanders touchdown run, but that was their last score as the game ended 21–13 in SMU's favor.^[2]

Statistics

Statistics	SMU	Oregon
First Downs	19	19
Yards Rushing	226	242
Yards Passing	111	145
Total Yards	337	387
Punts-Average	3-68.7	3-31.0
Fumbles-Lost	0-0	2-1
Interceptions	0	2
Penalties-Yards	1-5	6-30

References

^ "SMUMUSTANGS.COM 1949 COTTON BOWL - SMU 21, OREGON 13 - Official Athletic Site Official Athletic Site - Football". Archived from the original on 2015-01-05. Retrieved 2014-12-28. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
^ "26-37.pmd" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-01-05. Retrieved 2014-12-28. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)

[1] "SMUMUSTANGS.COM 1949 COTTON BOWL - SMU 21, OREGON 13 - Official Athletic Site Official Athletic Site - Football". Archived from the original on 2015-01-05. Retrieved 2014-12-28. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)

[2] "26-37.pmd" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-01-05. Retrieved 2014-12-28. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)

[1]

[2]

v t e Cotton Bowl Classic
History & conference tie-ins	History Cotton Bowl AT&T Stadium College Football Playoff Broadcasters Playoff at-large Group of Five
Games	1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 (January) 1966 (December) 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 (January) 2015 (December) 2017 (January) 2017 (December) 2018 2019 2020 2021 2023 (January) 2023 (December) 2025 (January) 2025 (December)
Notes	There was a Cotton Bowl Classic in January and December in 1966, 2015, 2017, 2023, 2025. The 2015 (December), 2018, 2021, and 2025 (January) editions were College Football Playoff semifinals.