Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic

Indelibly etched on the scroll of Cotton Bowl immortals are two men who became household names in the late 1940s and early 1950s. Kyle Rote and Doak Walker teamed up to form an extraordinary one-two punch in SMU's vaunted offensive attack. At the 1949 Classic, Rote was magnificent, running like a locomotive through the Oregon Ducks while en route to a 21-13 Mustang victory. Although only a sophomore, Rote rushed for 93 yards on 16 carries, including a 36-yard touchdown run. Yet, he is remembered most for an 84-yard quick kick that caught the Ducks napping, pinning them back to the 12-yard line and wiping out any scoring threat they had in the first half. Rote's kick remains as the longest in Classic history along with his 63.5 punting average. That's the kind of stuff legends are made of.