COTTON BOWL HALL OF FAME CLASS OF 2020
18 JONATHAN BEASLEY, KANSAS STATE
Ht. 6-1 Wt. 215 Class: Senior
Position: Quarterback
Hometown: Glendale, Arizona
2001 Classic: Kansas State 35, Tennessee 21
  Rushing: 17 attempts, 98 yards, 1 TD
  Passing: 13-27-1, 210 yards, 2 TD
 
Nothing seemed to faze Kansas State quarterback Jonathan Beasley. Not even a playing field covered in snow after a winter storm blew through North Texas just hours before the start of the 2001 Cotton Bowl Classic. Beasley set records for first-half efficiency by rolling up 238 yards in total offense and logged the second-highest number of yards passing with 193 against Tennessee. On the ground or through the air, he was relentless. He ran 14 yards for the game's first score, and then passed for touchdowns of 56 and 10 yards. By the time the third quarter rolled around, most of the snow had evaporated along with Tennessee's chances of winning. Beasley and the Wildcats pounded out 507 yards in total offense and cruised to a rousing 35-21 defeat of the Volunteers.

44 TOM GATEWOOD, NOTRE DAME
Ht. 6-2 Wt. 203 Class: Sophomore/Junior
Position: Split End
Hometown: Baltimore, Maryland
1970 Classic: Texas 21, Notre Dame 17
1971 Classic: Notre Dame 24, Texas 11
   1970 Receiving: 6 receptions, 112 yards, 1 TD
   1971 Receiving: 2 receptions, 43 yards, 1 TD
 
Notre Dame split end Tom Gatewood was an All-American in every sense of the word. He was the Fighting Irish's go-to receiver, Dean's List member and inspirational role model for youth everywhere. This humble student-athlete had a special gift, and it was evident to all in his two Cotton Bowl Classic appearances against top-ranked Texas. In the 1970 Classic, the speedy receiver hauled in a 54-yard scoring pass to push the Irish to a 10-0 lead. A year later, Gatewood and company were back in the Classic to face Texas again. And just like the year before, he led the charge. Gatewood's 26-yard touchdown catch put the Irish on track to a stirring 24-11 victory that snapped the Horns' 30-game winning streak. In three seasons, he amassed 157 receptions, a mark that stood for 34 years as the receiving standard at Notre Dame.
 
61 JERRY JONES, ARKANSAS
Ht. 6-0 Wt. 195 Class: Senior
Position: Right Guard
Hometown: North Little Rock, Arkansas 1965 Classic: Arkansas 10, Nebraska 7 Dallas Cowboys: 1989-Present
   Team Statistics: 45 yards rushing, 131 yards passing, 176 yards in total offense
 
Jerry Jones was the co-captain of Arkansas' national championship team, a squad that rallied in the waning minutes of the 1965 Cotton Bowl Classic to drive 80 yards for the winning touchdown in a 10-7 victory over Nebraska. Years later he played a pivotal role in yet another comeback of major significance. Football fans know about his success with the Dallas Cowboys. However, they may not be aware of his intense passion for the Cotton Bowl Classic. During the construction of AT&T Stadium, Jones extended an invitation to the bowl's leadership to play the Classic in his new state-of-the-art football palace. He knew that a roof or new stadium was the missing component to solidifying the game's future. His behind-the-scenes efforts helped the Classic take an important step toward restoring its position among the elite of postseason college football.
 
22 DEXTER MCCLUSTER, OLE MISS, RUNNING BACK/WIDE RECEIVER
Ht. 5-9 Wt. 170 Class: Junior/Senior
Position: Running Back/Wide Receiver
Hometown: Largo, Florida
2009 Classic: Ole Miss 47, Texas Tech 34
2010 Classic: Ole Miss 21, Oklahoma State 7
   2009 Rushing: 14 attempts, 97 yards, 1 TD
   2009 Receiving: 6 receptions, 83 yards
   2010 Rushing: 34 attempts, 184 yards, 2 TDs
   2010 Receiving: 5 receptions, 45 yards
 
Dexter McCluster, an all-around all-star for Ole Miss, was a defender's nightmare. He was small in stature, yet big in heart and simply too quick and fast for any mere mortal to bring down in the open field. The slippery running back/wide receiver became only the second player to earn back-to-back J. Curtis Sanford Outstanding Offensive Player honors in the Classic, sharing the feat with the legendary Doak Walker in 1948-49. In 2009, the last Classic played in Cotton Bowl Stadium, McCluster fueled a 47-34 victory over Texas Tech with 180 all-purpose yards. He proved to be even more elusive a year later as the Rebels christened AT&T Stadium with a 21-7 defeat of Oklahoma State. His 86-yard dash for Ole Miss' first score was the key play of the game and he finished with 229 all-purpose yards. Opponents learned quickly that keeping up with Dexter McCluster was an impossible task.

40 CORY REDDING, TEXAS
Ht. 6-5 Wt. 270 Class: Senior
Position: Defensive End
Hometown: Houston, Texas
2003 Classic: Texas 35, LSU 20
   Defensive Statistics: 8 tackles, 5 unassisted
   Tackles for Loss: 4 tackles for minus-23 yards
   Quarterback Sacks: 1 sack for minus-18 yards
 
Texas defensive end Cory Redding accomplished some amazing things in his career, on and off the football field. The All-America selection collected eight tackles in a 35-20 victory over LSU. Five of them were solo stops and four resulted in 23 yards in losses, including a sack of minus-18 yards. Quarterbacks and running backs tried to avoid him at all costs but rarely succeeded. Redding was an inspirational figure, one who motivated his teammates to meet the challenge on every play and leave nothing on the field. His leadership qualities translated perfectly into community service where he utilized the game of football as a platform to mentor youth and lend a helping hand to many. Redding is the ultimate team player, one who lives life and played the game of football at an extremely high level.

53 BILL ROMANOWSKI, BOSTON COLLEGE
Ht. 6-2 Wt. 225 Class: Freshman
Position: Linebacker
Hometown: Vernon, Connecticut
1985 Classic: Boston College 45, Houston 28
   Defensive Statistics: 13 tackles, 11 unassisted, 1 PBU
   Tackles for Loss: 1 tackle for minus-3 yards
 
Boston College linebacker Bill Romanowski stole the show in the 1985 Cotton Bowl Classic. He stalked Houston running backs all day long, roaming from sideline to sideline to make 13 tackles. Eleven of those stops were unassisted, a number that tied an existing Classic record for solo tackles. It was an inspiring and intimidating performance. Maybe even more significant was that in the process of helping the Eagles earn a 45-28 victory, Romanowski became the Classic's first true freshman to earn Felix McKnight Outstanding Defensive Player honors. Throughout his career, he gave his heart and soul to the game of football. Romanowski was an unyielding force and intense competitor who possessed the grit and determination to become one of the most dominant defensive players in the game.

BILL SNYDER, HEAD COACH, KANSAS STATE
Hometown: St. Joseph, Missouri
Classic Coaching Record: 1-2-0
1997 Classic: BYU 19, Kansas State 15
2001 Classic: Kansas State 35, Tennessee 21
2012 Classic: Arkansas 29, Kansas State 16
 
No job was too big for Kansas State's Bill Snyder. Not even a program that had experienced limited success until he set foot on the Manhattan campus in 1989. His tireless work ethic and intense dedication transformed the Wildcats into a national contender that tallied six 11-win seasons over a seven-year stretch and logged 11 consecutive bowl appearances. With his guidance, the Kansas State program became the model of consistency. The Wildcats landed in three Cotton Bowl Classics, highlighted by a dominating 35-21 defeat of Tennessee in the 2001 game. In 2015, he became one of only four active coaches to be enshrined into the College Football Hall of Fame. Three years later, he wrapped up a spectacular coaching career with 215 victories. Simply put, Coach Snyder is the architect of the greatest turnaround in college football history.
 
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