“Instant classic” may be an overused term these days, but there are truly no better words to describe what transpired in the Cotton Bowl between Tulane and USC on January 2.
Tulane and USC endured similar struggles in disappointing 2021 seasons, combing for a 6-18 record while falling well short of bowl eligibility. A New Year’s Six matchup between these programs seemed unlikely in September, but the Green Wave and Trojans strung together inspiring bounce-back campaigns, and the two teams carried lofty 11-2 records into AT&T Stadium for one of college football’s six most heralded bowl games.
USC and Tulane hadn’t settled things on the field since 1946, but this unlikely matchup proved to be an unforgettable showcase, forever etching a lasting association between these two programs.