Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic

Jackie Sherrill was a player’s coach. He knew exactly how to motivate them to reach a higher level come game day. A tireless worker, Sherrill constantly searched for new ideas to get his teams ready to play. In 1999, Sherrill joined an elite brotherhood of coaches when he guided Mississippi State to the Classic. In the process, he became the third of only four coaches to lead two different institutions to the AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic. In the 1980s, after an 18-year absence, he led Texas A&M to three consecutive appearances in the Classic. The highlight was a memorable 36-16 victory over Auburn in the Cotton Bowl’s 50th anniversary game in 1986. Sherrill taught his players to have high expectations, always be prepared, play together as one, and most of all, how to win.