Ole Miss quarterback Eli Manning completed 21 of 33 pass attempts, threw for two touchdowns, and he ran for one additional touchdown to lead the Rebels to a Cotton Bowl Classic win in a game that was not decided until the final minutes as the Rebels built a 31–14 lead, then held on after the Cowboys made it 31–28 with 4:38 to go. Vernand Morency had two touchdowns for OSU.
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.