Auburn’s Bo Jackson and Alabama’s DeMeco Ryans were two of the eight inductees to the Cotton Bowl Classic 2025 Hall of Fame Class. The induction ceremony was held this week in Arlington, Texas, at AT&T Stadium’s West Plaza, where Jackson and Ryans joined other Cotton Bowl legends David Cutcliffe, Jerome Bettis, Randy Braband, Tony Davis, Fin Ewing III, and Charlie Fiss to complete the 2025 class.
“Today is a special day to celebrate the contributions of eight extraordinary individuals who have impacted our game and our organization in so many positive ways,” said W. Kelvin Walker, Chair, Cotton Bowl Athletic Association (CBAA). “The Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic is honored to have these legends now a permanent part of our history. We salute them and we’re thrilled to call them Cotton Bowl Classic Hall of Famers.”
On Jan. 1, 1986, Jackson set a Cotton Bowl record of 31 rushing attempts in a 36-16 loss to Texas A&M. The Auburn running back also caught a screen pass and scampered for a 73-yard score.
In Alabama’s 13-10 victory over Texas Tech in the 70th Cotton Bowl Classic, Ryans had seven tackles – five solo—and collected two tackles for loss that included 1.5 quarterback sacks for minus-12 yards. He was selected as the Felix R. McKnight Outstanding Defensive Player of the Game.
Each member of the newest Hall of Fame class received a personalized bronze statue in the likeness of a 1930s football player, the era in which the bowl game was founded. The voice of the Dallas Cowboys and the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic, Brad Sham, served as Master of Ceremonies. Festivities included a VIP dinner, an enshrinement day brunch, an autograph session featuring the Hall of Fame honorees, and lunch courtesy of the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic.
The biennial event began in 1998 and since that time, a total of 93 men and women have been enshrined for the indelible marks they have left on the Cotton Bowl and the CBAA. TG
Photo by James D. Smith/CBAA
