The 2017 Cotton Bowl Classic was a college football bowl game played on January 2, 2017, at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. It featured the Western Michigan Broncos from the Mid-American Conference and the Wisconsin Badgers from the Big Ten Conference. The 81st Cotton Bowl Classic was one of the New Years Six bowl games in the College Football Playoff for the 2016–17 bowl games concluding the 2016 FBS football season.
The game was broadcast on ESPN, ESPN Deportes, ESPN Radio and XM Satellite Radio. It was sponsored by the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company and was officially known as the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic.
Teams Mid-American Conference (MAC) champion Western Michigan was selected as an at-large as the highest ranked College Football Playoff (CFP) Group of Five team while Wisconsin was chosen as an at-large out of the Big Ten Conference. Wisconsin was an 8 point favorite to start the game.
This was the fifth meeting between the schools, with Wisconsin leading the all-time series 4–1. The most recent meeting was on August 31, 2000, where the Badgers defeated the Broncos by a score of 19–7.- Western Michigan Broncos vs. Wisconsin Badgers football series history This was the first Cotton Bowl for both teams.
With Western Michigan representing the MAC, this was the first Cotton Bowl Classic to feature a MAC team.
Game summary
Scoring summary
Statistics Statistics Western Michigan Wisconsin First downs 18 18 Plays-yards 59-280 52-362 Third down efficiency 5–11 7–11 Rushes-yards 31-123 38-184 Passing yards 157 178 Passing, Comp-Att-Int 16-28-1 13-14-0 Time of Possession 29:55 30:05
Team Category Player StatisticsWestern Michigan Passing Zach Terrell 16–28, 157 YDS, 1 TD, 1 INT Rushing Jamauri Bogan 16 CAR, 58 YDS Receiving Corey Davis 6 REC, 73 YDS, 1 TDWisconsin Passing Bart Houston 11–12, 159 YDS Rushing Corey Clement 22 CAR, 71 YDS, 1 TD Receiving Troy Fumagalli 6 REC, 83 YDS, 1 TD
References