1997 COTTON BOWL

01.01.97 Dallas, Texas (71,928) 

BYU assumed the nation’s longest winning streak with a come-from-behind 19-15 victory in the 61st annual Cotton Bowl. It was the first New Year’s Day appearance for both 14th-ranked Kansas State and fifth-ranked BYU. More than 40,000-purple clad Kansas State supporters out-numbered the 15,000 Cougar patrons as 71,928 fans filled the Cotton Bowl. BYU got on the board first with a safety, then turned the ensuing punt into a field goal to lead 5-0 in the first quarter. The safety came when linebacker Shay Muirbrook, the game’s defensive MVP, collected one of his six sacks. Kansas State took a half-time lead with a 41-yard Hail Mary pass and a successful two-point conversion with no time left on the clock. The Wildcats increased the lead to 15-5 in the third quarter when offensive co-MVP Kevin Lockett caught a 72-yard TD. Fueled by consecutive controversial interference no-calls, quarterback Steve Sarkisian engineered two fourth-quarter drives capped by touchdown passes of 32-yards to James Dye and 28-yards to K.O. Kealaluhi. Sarkisian, an offensive co-MVP, completed 21 passes to tie a Cotton Bowl record held by Roger Staubach of Navy. KSU drove the length of the field before Cougar cornerback Omarr Morgan juggled an interception from a Wildcat slant pattern at the 12 yard line to secure the game.