The Dallas Cowboys moved to Arlington in 2009. When Cowboys Stadium (later renamed AT&T Stadium) opened, it provided new opportunities for Arlington. One of those was to host the Cotton Bowl Classic—a popular and longtime college football game formerly played at the namesake Cotton Bowl Stadium in Dallas’ Fair Park. The game moved to Arlington in 2010, and we’ve hosted it since. It’s a renowned event and provides a sizable economic boost to the local economy.

74th Cotton Bowl Classic | Cowboys Stadium – Arlington, Texas

The 74th Cotton Bowl Classic—played on January 2, 2010—featured the Oklahoma State Cowboys versus the Ole Miss Rebels from the University of Mississippi. Attendance was 77,928 people, plus a national audience watching at home. It was a far cry from the first Cotton Bowl Classic in 1937, which only drew 17,000 fans.

Dexter McCluster from Ole Miss scored in the 2nd quarter with an exciting 86-yard touchdown run. Oklahoma State tied the game in the 3rd quarter, but the game soon slipped away. The Rebels scored two touchdowns in the 4th quarter, including another by Dexter McCluster, to win the game 21-7. Ole Miss, who also played in the 2009 game, became the first team to win back-to-back Cotton Bowl Classics since Notre Dame won in 1993 and 1994. McCluster was also a back-to-back MVP.

The 2025 Cotton Bowl Classic will be on January 10 in Arlington.

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Blog post by Jason S. Sullivan, 01-02-25