Cotton Bowl carries different significance for Penn State, Memphis players
Memphis running back Patrick Taylor Jr. is finally playing at AT&T Stadium.
It’s the venue at which Taylor and his Humble Atascocita teammates envisioned closing their high school careers back in 2015, before they fell in the Class 6A Division I quarterfinals to eventual state runner-up Austin Westlake.
“We were two rounds short,” Taylor said, shaking his head.
Fast-forward four years later and Taylor is now set to end his college career at the home of the Dallas Cowboys. Memphis will face powerhouse Penn State at 11 a.m. Saturday in the 84th Cotton Bowl.
For Taylor, it’s a script that couldn’t have been written any better.
“For it to come full circle like this, and for it to be my final game as a senior, is truly a blessing,” said Taylor, who has battled through an injury-plagued year with 300 yards rushing and four TDs in five games.
“What more could you ask for? Being at the Cotton Bowl and a New Year’s Six game? I can’t complain.”
Taylor is just one of several players on both sides who is eager for this year’s game.
Memphis has several Texans who, like Taylor, are happy to be playing in their home state again. Senior wide receiver Kedarian Jones grew up down the road and had a standout career at Dallas Kimball, while junior defensive lineman Joseph Dorceus played at Spring.
“It’s a story that I couldn’t write any better, ending my last game in my hometown,” said Jones, who has the third-most receiving yards (536) for the Tigers. “It’s just very surreal.”
Added Dorceus: “I haven’t had Whataburger yet, but it’s been cool. I’m enjoying it. But all I’m looking forward to is winning the game. The feeling will be a lot different if we don’t walk out of here victorious.”
For Penn State, it’s a similar thrill to be playing at AT&T Stadium. It’s the Nittany Lions’ first trip to the Cotton Bowl in 44 years, and there’s plenty of history between the program and the bowl game.
The 1948 Cotton Bowl featured Penn State players Wallace Triplett and Dennie Hoggard famously breaking down racial barriers and becoming the first African American football players to play in the bowl game.
“Pretty amazing history,” said Penn State coach James Franklin, who was Vanderbilt’s first African American head coach and Penn State’s first permanent African American head coach.
“For us as college football coaches, but more importantly as educators, it’s a great opportunity to spend some time talking about that.”
Penn State and SMU played to a 13-13 tie in the 1948 Cotton Bowl with Triplett scoring the game-tying touchdown in the third quarter.
The Nittany Lions went on to play in — and win — two more Cotton Bowls during the 1970s, defeating Texas to close the 1971 season and Baylor to close the 1974 season.
Franklin went on to mention other connections with former Penn State players now with the Cowboys, such as linebacker Sean Lee, offensive lineman Connor McGovern and running backs coach Gary Brown.
For some of the current Penn State players, though, this is their first trip to the Lone Star State.
“I’d never been to Texas until now,” Penn State defensive end Yetur Gross-Matos said. “It’s pretty nice. I’ve never really been in a big city like this before, either. This has been crazy. The whole thing has just been surreal.”
That description fits what several players felt about practicing at and taking in AT&T Stadium throughout the week.
The video board remains one of the most eye-opening parts of the stadium. The massive screen set a then-Guinness World Record for the world’s largest high-definition video display (160 feet wide, 72 feet tall) when it opened in 2009.
“When I first walked in, I was amazed,” Penn State linebacker Micah Parsons said.
Added Memphis wide receiver Antonio Gibson: “It’s a good feeling to play in a pro stadium and showcase your skills, and get a feel for what it’s like to play at a big-time stadium. AT&T Stadium is just nice. The view you have on the field, the big old billboard, it’s just surreal.”
This story was originally published December 27, 2019 at 4:57 PM.
