2017 Cotton Bowl Classic (January)

2017 Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic
CFP New Year’s Six
81st Cotton Bowl Classic
Western Michigan Broncos Wisconsin Badgers
(13–0) (10–3)
MAC Big Ten
16 24
Head coach: 
P. J. Fleck		 Head coach: 
Paul Chryst
APCoachesCFP
121515
APCoachesCFP
888
1234 Total
Western Michigan 0736 16
Wisconsin 14307 24
DateJanuary 2, 2017
Season2016
StadiumAT&T Stadium
LocationArlington, Texas
MVPOffense: Troy Fumagalli (TE, WIS)
Defense: T. J. Edwards (LB, WIS)
FavoriteWisconsin by 8.5
RefereeRiley Johnson (ACC)
Attendance59,615
United States TV coverage
NetworkESPN
AnnouncersBob Wischusen, Brock Huard and Allison Williams (ESPN)
Cotton Bowl Classic
 < 2015 (Dec.) 2017 (Dec.) > 

The 2017 Cotton Bowl Classic was a college football bowl game played on January 2, 2017, at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. It featured the Western Michigan Broncos from the Mid-American Conference and the Wisconsin Badgers from the Big Ten Conference. The 81st Cotton Bowl Classic was one of the New Years Six bowl games in the College Football Playoff for the 2016–17 bowl games concluding the 2016 FBS football season.

The game was broadcast on ESPN, ESPN Deportes, ESPN Radio and XM Satellite Radio. It was sponsored by the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company and was officially known as the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic.

Teams

Mid-American Conference (MAC) champion Western Michigan was selected as an at-large as the highest ranked College Football Playoff (CFP) Group of Five team while Wisconsin was chosen as an at-large out of the Big Ten Conference. Wisconsin was an 81⁄2 point favorite to start the game.[1]

This was the fifth meeting between the schools, with Wisconsin leading the all-time series 4–1. The most recent meeting was on August 31, 2000, where the Badgers defeated the Broncos by a score of 19–7.[2] This was the first Cotton Bowl for both teams.

With Western Michigan representing the MAC, this was the first Cotton Bowl Classic to feature a MAC team.

Game summary

Near the end of the first quarter, the Wisconsin Badgers prepare to kick off the football to the Western Michigan University Broncos.

Scoring summary

Scoring summary
Quarter Time Drive Team Scoring information Score
Plays Yards TOP WMU WIS
1 8:58 11 75 6:08 WIS Corey Clement 2-yard touchdown run, Andrew Endicott kick good 0 7
1 3:23 7 88 3:52 WIS Dare Ogunbowale 1-yard touchdown run, Andrew Endicott kick good 0 14
2 5:27 16 65 8:46 WMU Zach Terrell 2-yard touchdown run, Butch Hampton kick good 7 14
2 0:18 9 63 5:09 WIS 30-yard field goal by Andrew Endicott 7 17
3 10:00 11 65 5:00 WMU 27-yard field goal by Butch Hampton 10 17
4 12:26 3 12 1:26 WIS Troy Fumagalli 8-yard touchdown reception from Alex Hornibrook, Andrew Endicott kick good 10 24
4 3:27 16 75 8:59 WMU Corey Davis 11-yard touchdown reception from Zach Terrell, Butch Hampton kick failed 16 24
"TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. 16 24

Statistics

Statistics Western Michigan Wisconsin
First Downs 18 18
Plays-yards 59-280 52-362
Third down efficiency 5–11 7–11
Rushes-yards 31-123 38-184
Passing yards 157 178
Passing, Comp-Att-Int 16-28-1 13-14-0
Time of Possession 29:55 30:05
Team Category Player Statistics
Western Michigan Passing Zach Terrell 16–28, 157 YDS, 1 TD, 1 INT
Rushing Jamauri Bogan 16 CAR, 58 YDS
Receiving Corey Davis 6 REC, 73 YDS, 1 TD
Wisconsin Passing Bart Houston 11–12, 159 YDS
Rushing Corey Clement 22 CAR, 71 YDS, 1 TD
Receiving Troy Fumagalli 6 REC, 83 YDS, 1 TD

References

  1. ^ "GOODYEAR COTTON BOWL CLASSIC". ESPN. January 2, 2017. Retrieved January 2, 2017.
  2. ^ - Western Michigan Broncos vs. Wisconsin Badgers football series history