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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Ole Miss Marches To SBC Cotton Bowl Classic
12/3/2003 | Football
Dec. 3, 2003
DALLAS - Forty-two years after Ole Miss last appeared in the SBC Cotton Bowl, the Rebels will be descending on Dallas once more.
Ole Miss has accepted an invitation as the Southeastern Conference representative in the 2004 Classic on Friday, Jan. 2. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. CST.
Fin Ewing, III, Chairman of the Cotton Bowl Athletic Association, extended the invitation Wednesday evening to Ole Miss athletics director Pete Boone and head coach David Cutcliffe.
"The SBC Cotton Bowl is thrilled to bring one of the nation's most exciting football teams to Dallas to play in one of the most storied bowls in America," Ewing said. "With Ole Miss and their passionate fans, we expect the 68th SBC Cotton Bowl to be a Classic to remember."
Upon receiving the phone call from Ewing, Boone said, "On behalf of the Ole Miss family, we are tremendously excited about the opportunity we have earned to play in the SBC Cotton Bowl. This is a tremendous reward for Coach Cutcliffe, his staff, and our players for such an outstanding season. We're ready to get to Dallas."
Ole Miss, led by senior quarterback Eli Manning, comes to Dallas as SEC West co-champions with a 9-3 record and a 7-1 conference mark. The Rebels are appearing in their sixth bowl game in seven years.
Manning, a Heisman Trophy candidate, will follow a long line of great quarterbacks to finish their collegiate career at the Cotton Bowl. The distinguished list includes Sammy Baugh, Ken Stabler, Dan Marino, Joe Theismann, Joe Montana, Troy Aikman, and the Mississippi Gambler, Eagle Day, who led the Rebels to victory in the 1956 Classic.
The Rebels, ranked No. 17 in this week's Associated Press Poll, are 1-1 in their two previous Cotton Bowl appearances.
In 1956, Day led Ole Miss to its first major-bowl victory in a 14-13 win over TCU. Six years later, in the 1962 Classic, Ole Miss ventured back to Dallas as the nation's leader in total offense, but Texas held the Rebels in check en route to a 12-7 victory.
"Playing in the SBC Cotton Bowl will be a great experience for our team and fans, and it's exciting to be a part of this storied bowl with such rich tradition," said Cutcliffe. "I'm truly excited about the opportunity. I had the good fortune of coaching in the Cotton Bowl in 1990 when Tennessee played out there. The City of Dallas and the Cotton Bowl do everything in a first class manner."
Ole Miss' opponent from the Big 12 Conference will be announced on Sunday following the Bowl Championship Series selections.
The 2004 Classic will be nationally televised on FOX for the sixth consecutive year. All tickets are $75 each. Ole Miss ticket requests may be made through the Rebel athletic department ticket office by calling (888) 732-8587. General tickets sold through the SBC Cotton Bowl office can be obtained by calling (888) 792-BOWL.