FanHouse CottonBowl

Say this much for the final Cotton Bowl at Cotton Bowl Stadium, it was lively. A boisterous 88,000 fans set an attendance record at the aging facility to witness a resurgent Ole Miss steadily dismantle Graham Harrell, Michael Crabtree and Texas Tech 47 to 34.

Texas Tech had a magnificent season, one of the best in program history but were whipped twice in their final three games inviting the inevitable catcalls and overrated chants. Texas Tech set the tone early with the game's first touchdown and an interception they returned for a score to grab a 14-0 first quarter lead. From there Ole Miss took over, outscoring the Red Raiders 38-7 in the second and third quarters that put them up 38-21.

The game's star was Ole Miss back/receiver Dexter McCluster who ran for 97 yards and a score and had another 83 in the air for an 180-yard afternoon. Meanwhile Crabtree and his gimpy ankle were shut down, recording just four catches and 30 yards.

It won't be a game that shows up on ESPN Classic anytime soon, but Auburn fans are all smiles tonight after a 17-14 win over Nebraska. Auburn shook off some first half rust and overcame the worst officiating of the bowl season to squeak out a win on a cold day at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas.

The win gives the Tigers their second 11+ win season in the last three years and all but guarantees a finish in the top 10. "That was typical Auburn, win and win ugly," said Auburn head coach Tommy Tuberville. "That's how this team has done it all year. They scrap and claw."

Call it what you will coach, but it was mighty satisfying. How fitting that the game was won on big plays made by Auburn seniors. Karibi Dede's interception in the first half was the game changer. And how about Cotton Bowl Offensive MVP Courtney Taylor? Needing four catches to become Auburn's career receiving leader, Taylor finished the game with 6 catches for 70 yards. He ends his career with 153 catches, two more than previous record holder Karsten Bailey.

Here's a final look at tomorrow's Cotton Bowl match-up between Auburn and Nebraska... Big Ten officials will be calling the game... The game will be played on natural grass. It was installed for the 1994 World Cup Soccer matches... The last time Auburn played in the Cotton Bowl was 1986, when it lost to Texas A&M 36-16. Both Auburn touchdowns were scored by Heisman Trophy winner Bo Jackson, who rushed for 129 yards and had 73 yards of receiving.

Nebraska is 12-4 against teams from the SEC in bowl games... Auburn is ranked 16th all-time in bowl appearances with 33... They are tied for 15th all-time in bowl victories with 17... The Tigers have been held to fewer than 20 points in four of its last five bowl games. Yet they have managed a record of 2-2 in those games... Auburn has never been shut out in a bowl game.

The Cotton Bowl will mark the fourth meeting between Auburn and Nebraska. The Cornhuskers have won all three previous meetings... The most notable was the 1964 Orange Bowl when sixth-ranked Nebraska beat fifth-ranked Auburn 13-7... The Tigers have played in bowl games for 19 of the past 25 seasons, including seven straight... This will be Auburn's third straight January bowl game... The Cotton Bowl will mark the final game for Auburn seniors. The 21 members represent coach Tommy Tuberville's biggest senior class since coming to Auburn. The group has posted a 40-10 record, the best of any senior class in Auburn history.

Nebraska comes into the game with a 9-4 record and are the North Division Champions of the Big 12... Their four losses were to Southern Cal (28-10), Texas (22-20), Oklahoma State (41-29) and Oklahoma (21-7)... Auburn is 3-5 in bowl games against the Big 12... The Tigers are 9-15-1 all time against the Big 12. However, they haven't faced a Big 12 opponent since the 1991 season, when Auburn defeated Texas 14-10... Monday's game will mark coach Tommy Tuberville's 100th game as Auburn head coach. In that time, he has a 70-29 record and will become only the fourth Auburn head man to coach 100 games.

Next month's Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama will be painted orange and blue. Five Auburn players have been invited to participate in the game. Last week, it was announced that tailback Kenny Irons and his brother, cornerback David Irons would be playing.

Today, The Mobile Press-Register is reporting that wide receiver Courtney Taylor and offensive guards Tim Duckworth and Ben Grubbs will be joining the Irons brothers in the NFL managed all-star game.

Taylor is coming off his best season since the 2004 campaign. He has 48 catches this year, including nine games where he had at least three receptions. For Kenny Irons, it will be a chance to show NFL scouts that he's still first-round material. The senior has battled an assortment of injuries this year that has limited his playing time.

The most watched of the group will be Grubbs, who according to ESPN's Mel Kiper is the top senior guard in next year's draft. Grubbs has already been named to several All-SEC and All-American teams. Meanwhile, Duckworth was named to the Coaches All-SEC team. Together they make up the best guard combo in the country.

The Senior Bowl will be played on January 27th and coached by NFL personnel.

I'm always amused at how much attention is given to recruiting each year. I laugh when I read how these recruiting services rank classes. Can you really tell who has the third best class in the country? I always remember that Alan Evans was the top recruit in the state of Alabama the year that kid from Bessemer came to the Plains. Whatever happened to Evans?

I'm equally amused at how some of the best players in the state get overlooked by Auburn and Alabama. How did either school let Philip Rivers leave for North Carolina State? And what about Terrell Owens from Alexander City - just a few miles from Jordan-Hare Stadium?

Today I read with great interest a story in the The Decatur Daily about Brett Byford from Hartselle, Alabama. He'll line up at center when the Cornhuskers battle Auburn on Monday. This is a kid who grew up an Auburn fan. He even dressed up as Bo Jackson one Halloween. The junior was named an honorable-mention All-Big 12 performer this season.

Neither Auburn or Alabama paid much attention to Byford in high school. It would have been nice to have Byford on the team this year when Auburn got down to its third center. It just goes to show that ranking recruiting classes is really dumb. The true ranking comes four years after they sign.

Auburn wide receiver Courtney Taylor heads into his final game as a Tiger in Monday's Cotton Bowl. He needs four catches to become the school's all-time reception leader. Injuries have robbed Auburn fans of the chance to see one of the most talented receivers to ever wear orange and blue at his best.

Not since Terry Beasley in the early 70's had an Auburn wide receiver had such an impressive start to his career. Taylor burst onto the national scene in a big way in 2003. Named to Sporting News Magazine's All-SEC Freshman team, Taylor caught a pass in every game during his first season.

By the time his sophomore campaign rolled around, he was being compared to Beasley. Taylor's winning touchdown against LSU in 2004 was as big a catch as any in Auburn history. Without question, his sophomore season was as good as anyone had ever had on the Plains. Those are mighty big words - and completely accurate.

If Auburn has its way, defensive end Quentin Groves will be spending a lot of quality time with Nebraska quarterback Zac Taylor on Monday. And thankfully, Groves will be spending more time with his teammates come next season.

Unwilling to make the mistake Stanley McClover did a year ago by leaving early for the NFL, Groves has made the decision to return for his senior campaign. Much like McClover last season, Groves has saved his best for the biggest games. One could argue that he was the difference maker in wins over Florida and Alabama.

Through the first half of the season, it didn't appear that the NFL was even an option for Groves. The All-SEC selection had made little noise heading into the Florida game. That's win head coach Tommy Tuberville gave Groves a little pep-talk.

He told him that he expected more out of him and that he was capable of better play. That low key talk changed everything for Groves. In the Florida game, he recorded three sacks and led Auburn to a 27-17 win over the second-ranked Gators.

When Auburn's defense takes the field on Monday against Nebraska, it will face the most balanced offense it has seen all year. The Cornhusker offense is among the best in the country at both the pass and the run. This will provide a true test for an Auburn defense still reeling from the suspensions of linebackers Tray Blackmon and Kevin Sears.

Nebraska enters the Cotton Bowl ranked 25th in rushing nationally and 18th in the country through the air. It's still hard to picture the Cornhuskers running the West Coast offense. It seems like only yesterday that J.C. Watts and Tommy Frazier were running the option to perfection.

While Nebraska doesn't have a marque runner like Darren McFadden of Arkansas, they do have capable backs who like to grind it out. Look for Auburn to be successful at stopping the run. Despite the reputation of the Cornhusker offensive linemen, Auburn's defensive line is more physical up front. Plus, their leading rusher, Brandon Jackson is nursing a broken hand suffered during the Big 12 Championship game.

What a year it has been for freshman running back Ben Tate. What had expected to be a red-shirt season, blossomed into something much more. Now with a game to go in his rookie campaign, Tate has a chance to take things to the next level.

The Maryland high school career rushing leader is on the verge of moving to second-string behind Kenny Irons for Monday's Cotton Bowl against Nebraska. With Brad Lester suspended for the game and Irons still banged up, it looks as if Tate will get the call early against the Cornhuskers.

Senior Tre Smith has been working as the number two back all month, but things have started to shift in practice over the last two weeks. Running backs coach Eddie Gran is now thinking about moving Tate up on the chart.

Auburn head coach Tommy Tuberville laid down the law quickly for his football team once it landed in Dallas for Monday's Cotton Bowl. After last year's drubbing at the hands of Wisconsin in the Capital One Bowl, Tuberville has made it clear that this is a business trip.

He has taken a number of steps to ensure that his team stays focused this week. Unlike last year, there will be curfews every night. Whereas last year the entire game plan was put in before the team left Auburn, this year only half has been set in motion. The rest will come during practices this week in Dallas.

"You want to change something," Tuberville said. "You are always looking for a reason. Most of the reason was that running back from Wisconsin, but we are just looking for a different way. It's a different type bowl. There's not all those attractions."