The 1986 Cotton Bowl Classic was an American college football bowl game played on January 1, 1986 at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, Texas. It was the 50th Cotton Bowl Classic held. The game featured the Texas A&M Aggies and the Auburn Tigers.
Coach Jackie Sherill was in his fourth year with A&M….as in his previous three years where he finished with a combined 16 – 16 – 1 record…..gut in 1986, his Aggies won the Southwest Conference championship for the first time since 1976…..and played in the Cotton Bowl for the first time since 1968.
The 1986 Auburn Tigers were highlighted by running back Bo Jackson….who rushed for 1,786 yards….and won the Heisman Trophy for a team that had at one point been ranked at # 1 before losing to Tennessee…..as the Tigers would finish the season at 8 – 3…..but that was only good enough for 6th in the Southeastern Conference….while finishing behind the three teams that had beaten them in Tennessee, Florida and Alabama.
Auburn’s Bo Jackson would end up rushing for 129 yards on 31 carries…..along with 2 catches for 73 yards in their 16 – 36 loss to the Aggies…..who were led by linebacker Domingo Bryant….who intercepted two passes.
