Fields faces another Heisman finalist
By By Will Bardwell / staff writer
Jan. 2, 2004
DALLAS Don't expect Oklahoma State quarterback Josh Fields to be intimidated by Eli Manning.
Manning will be the second Heisman Trophy finalist that Fields has dueled this season. He also faced Oklahoma quarterback Jason White, the Heisman Trophy winner, in a 52-9 Cowboys loss on Nov. 1.
Fields, who has completed 53 percent of his passes for 2,187 yards, said he does not feel pressure to play up to Manning's standard.
Common trends
Oklahoma State has lived on the success of their running game this season, but the Cowboys have died by their failure to defend it. In all three games that Oklahoma State's opponent rushed for more than 200 yards, the Cowboys fell.
Oklahoma State also lost the only three games in which its offense mustered less than 150 passing yards.
Family success
Friday's Cotton Bowl will be the eighth bowl game in which a Manning has started at quarterback.
Former Ole Miss quarterback Archie Manning was 2-1, winning the 1968 Liberty Bowl and 1970 Sugar Bowl before losing the 1971 Gator Bowl.
Former Tennessee signal caller Peyton Manning was 3-1, winning the Gator Bowl in 1994 and the Citrus Bowl in 1996 and 1997.
Eli, the Rebels' senior quarterback won his only start in a bowl game, last year's Independence Bowl against Nebraska. The youngest Manning appeared in the 2000 Music City Bowl, a 49-38 Ole Miss loss, but did not enter until the fourth quarter.
Too full' tackle
This year marks the 60th anniversary of one of the most bizarre moments in Cotton Bowl history. During the 1954 Cotton Bowl between Rice and Alabama, Owls running back Dicky Maegle broke free for what was becoming a 95-yard touchdown run.
Near midfield, infamy raised its head. Alabama's Tommy Lewis jumped off the Crimson Tide bench and tackled Maegle at the 42-yard line.
Officials ruled that Maegle would have scored if not for the strange turn of events and awarded Rice with a touchdown. Lewis later admitted he had been just "too full of Alabama."
Home away from home
Ole Miss has been designated the home team for its game against Oklahoma State. The Rebels will wear their red jerseys.
