2018 Cotton Bowl Classic

2018 Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic
College Football Playoff Semifinal
83rd Cotton Bowl Classic
Notre Dame Fighting Irish Clemson Tigers
(12–0) (13–0)
Independent ACC
3 30
Head coach: 
Brian Kelly		 Head coach: 
Dabo Swinney
APCoachesCFP
333
APCoachesCFP
222
1234 Total
Notre Dame 3000 3
Clemson 32070 30
DateDecember 29, 2018
Season2018
StadiumAT&T Stadium
LocationArlington, Texas
MVPTrevor Lawrence (QB, Clemson)
Austin Bryant (DE, Clemson)[1]
FavoriteClemson by 11.5[2]
RefereeMatt Austin (SEC)
Attendance72,183[3]
United States TV coverage
NetworkESPN and ESPN Radio
AnnouncersSean McDonough (play-by-play) Todd Blackledge (analyst)
Holly Rowe and Tom Rinaldi (sideline) (ESPN)
Bill Rosinski, David Norrie and Ian Fitzsimmons (ESPN Radio)
Nielsen ratings10.3 (16.8 million viewers)[4]
International TV coverage
NetworkESPN Deportes
ESPN Deportes Radio
AnnouncersLalo Varela and Pablo Viruega
Cotton Bowl Classic
 < 2017 (Dec.) 2019 > 
2 vs. 3 Seed CFP Semifinal Game
 < 2018 Rose 2019 Fiesta > 

The 2018 Cotton Bowl Classic was a college football bowl game played on December 29, 2018, at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The 83rd Cotton Bowl Classic was a College Football Playoff semifinal, the game featured two of the four teams selected by the College Football Playoff Selection Committee—Notre Dame from the NCAA FBS independents and Clemson from the ACC. The game started slow on offense with only 2 field goals in the first quarter, the 3 points for Notre Dame were the only points they scored, as Clemson dominated all the way 30-3. They advanced to face the winner of the Orange Bowl (Alabama) to compete in the 2019 College Football Playoff National Championship.[5] It was one of the 2018–19 bowl games concluding the 2018 FBS football season. Sponsored by the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company, the game was officially known as the College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic.[6]

  1. ^ @Shalom_Sports (December 29, 2018). "Clemson Tigers derrotó 30-3 a los Notre Dame Fighting Irish" (Tweet). Retrieved December 29, 2018 – via Twitter.
  2. ^ Fawkes, Ben (December 10, 2018). "Odds for every 2018-19 CFB bowl game". ESPN.com. Retrieved December 18, 2018.
  3. ^ @DarenStoltzfus (December 29, 2018). "72,183 the announced attendance today for the #CottonBowl" (Tweet). Retrieved December 29, 2018 – via Twitter.
  4. ^ Dosh, Kristi (December 31, 2018). "Television Ratings Down For College Football Playoff Semifinals". Forbes. Retrieved January 1, 2019.
  5. ^ Stevenson, Stefan (January 2, 2018). "College Football Playoff returning to the Cotton Bowl at AT&T Stadium". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Retrieved March 1, 2018.
  6. ^ "2018 Cotton Bowl Classic". Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic. Archived from the original on August 31, 2019. Retrieved December 11, 2018.