The Cotton Bowl Classic began on January 1, 1937 and was played in the Cotton Bowl stadium until 2009. In 2010 the game moved to AT&T Stadium in Arlington.
| 2024-25 |
Ohio State Buckeyes 28-14 Texas Longhorns National Semifinal |
| 2023-24 |
Missouri Tigers 14-3 Ohio State Buckeyes |
| 2022-23 |
Tulane Green Wave 46-45 USC Trojans |
| 2021-22 |
Alabama Crimson Tide 27-6 Cincinnati Bearcats National Semifinal |
| 2020-21 |
Oklahoma Sooners 55-20 Florida Gators |
| 2019-20 |
Penn State Nittany Lions 53-39 Memphis Tigers |
| 2018-19 |
Clemson Tigers 30-3 Notre Dame Fighting Irish National Semifinal |
| 2017-18 |
| Ohio State Buckeyes 24-7 USC Trojans |
| 2016-17 |
Wisconsin Badgers 24-16 Western Michigan Broncos |
| 2015-16 |
| Alabama Crimson Tide 38-0 Michigan State Spartans National Semifinal |
| 2014-15 |
Michigan State Spartans 42-41 Baylor Bears |
| 2013-14 |
| Missouri Tigers 41-31 Oklahoma State Cowboys |
| 2012-13 |
Texas A&M Aggies 41-13 Oklahoma Sooners |
| 2011-12 |
Arkansas Razorbacks 29-16 Kansas State Wildcats |
| 2010-11 |
LSU Tigers 41-24 Texas A&M Aggies |
| 2009-10 |
Mississippi Rebels 21-7 Oklahoma State Cowboys |
| 2008-09 |
| Mississippi Rebels 47-34 Texas Tech Red Raiders |
| 2007-08 |
| Missouri Tigers 38-7 Arkansas Razorbacks |
| 2006-07 |
Auburn Tigers 17-14 Nebraska Cornhuskers |
| 2005-06 |
| Alabama Crimson Tide 13-10 Texas Tech Red Raiders |
| 2004-05 |
Tennessee Volunteers 38-7 Texas A&M Aggies |
| 2003-04 |
| Mississippi Rebels 31-28 Oklahoma State Cowboys |
| 2002-03 |
Texas Longhorns 35-20 LSU Tigers |
| 2001-02 |
| Oklahoma Sooners 10-3 Arkansas Razorbacks |
| 2000-01 |
Kansas State Wildcats 35-21 Tennessee Volunteers |
| 1999-00 |
| Arkansas Razorbacks 27-6 Texas Longhorns |
| 1998-99 |
| Texas Longhorns 38-11 Mississippi State Bulldogs |
| 1997-98 |
UCLA Bruins 29-23 Texas A&M Aggies |
| 1996-97 |
BYU Cougars 19-15 Kansas State Wildcats |
| 1995-96 |
Colorado Buffaloes 38-6 Oregon Ducks |
| 1994-95 |
USC Trojans 55-14 Texas Tech Red Raiders |
| 1993-94 |
Notre Dame Fighting Irish 24-21 Texas A&M Aggies |
| 1992-93 |
| Notre Dame Fighting Irish 28-3 Texas A&M Aggies |
| 1991-92 |
Florida State Seminoles 10-2 Texas A&M Aggies |
| 1990-91 |
Miami Hurricanes 46-3 Texas Longhorns |
| 1989-90 |
| Tennessee Volunteers 31-27 Arkansas Razorbacks |
| 1988-89 |
| UCLA Bruins 17-3 Arkansas Razorbacks |
| 1987-88 |
| Texas A&M Aggies 35-10 Notre Dame Fighting Irish |
| 1986-87 |
| Ohio State Buckeyes 28-12 Texas A&M Aggies |
| 1985-86 |
| Texas A&M Aggies 36-16 Auburn Tigers |
| 1984-85 |
Boston College Eagles 45-28 Houston Cougars |
| 1983-84 |
Georgia Bulldogs 10-9 Texas Longhorns |
| 1982-83 |
SMU Mustangs 7-3 Pittsburgh Panthers |
| 1981-82 |
| Texas Longhorns 14-12 Alabama Crimson Tide |
| 1980-81 |
| Alabama Crimson Tide 30-2 Baylor Bears |
| 1979-80 |
Houston Cougars 17-14 Nebraska Cornhuskers |
| 1978-79 |
| Notre Dame Fighting Irish 35-34 Houston Cougars |
| 1977-78 |
| Notre Dame Fighting Irish 38-10 Texas Longhorns |
| 1976-77 |
| Houston Cougars 30-21 Maryland Terrapins |
| 1975-76 |
| Arkansas Razorbacks 31-10 Georgia Bulldogs |
| 1974-75 |
| Penn State Nittany Lions 41-20 Baylor Bears |
| 1973-74 |
Nebraska Cornhuskers 19-3 Texas Longhorns |
| 1972-73 |
| Texas Longhorns 17-13 Alabama Crimson Tide |
| 1971-72 |
| Penn State Nittany Lions 30-6 Texas Longhorns |
| 1970-71 |
| Notre Dame Fighting Irish 24-11 Texas Longhorns |
| 1969-70 |
| Texas Longhorns 21-17 Notre Dame Fighting Irish |
| 1968-69 |
| Texas Longhorns 36-13 Tennessee Volunteers |
| 1967-68 |
| Texas A&M Aggies 20-16 Alambama Crimson Tide |
| 1966-67 |
| Georgia Bulldogs 24-9 SMU Mustangs |
| 1965-66 |
| LSU Tigers 14-7 Arkansas Razorbacks |
| 1964-65 |
| Arkansas Razorbacks 10-7 Nebraska Cornhuskers |
| 1963-64 |
| Texas Longhorns 28-6 Navy Midshipmen |
| 1962-63 |
| LSU Tigers 13-0 Texas Longhorns |
| 1961-62 |
| Texas Longhorns 12-7 Mississippi Rebels |
| 1960-61 |
Duke Blue Devils 7-6 Arkansas Razorbacks |
| 1959-60 |
Syracuse Orangemen 23-14 Texas Longhorns |
| 1958-59 |
| TIE 0-0 TCU & Air Force |
| 1957-58 |
Navy Midshipmen 20-7 Rice Owls |
| 1956-57 |
TCU Horned Frogs 28-27 Syracuse Orangemen |
| 1955-56 |
| Mississippi Rebels 14-13 TCU Horned Frogs |
| 1954-55 |
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets 14-6 Arkansas Razorbacks |
| 1953-54 |
Rice Owls 28-6 Alabama Crimson Tide |
| 1952-53 |
| Texas Longhorns 16-0 Tennessee Volunteers |
| 1951-52 |
Kentucky Wildcats 20-7 TCU Horned Frogs |
| 1950-51 |
| Tennessee Volunteers 20-14 Texas Longhorns |
| 1949-50 |
| Rice Owls 27-13 North Carolina Tar Heels |
| 1948-49 |
| SMU Mustangs 21-13 Oregon Ducks |
| 1947-48 |
| TIE 13-13 SMU & Penn State |
| 1946-47 |
| TIE 0-0 LSU & Arkansas |
| 1945-46 |
| Texas Longhorns 40-27 Missouri Tigers |
| 1944-45 |
Oklahoma A&M Cowboys 34-0 TCU Horned Frogs |
| 1943-44 |
| TIE 7-7 Texas & Randolph Field |
| 1942-43 |
| Texas Longhorns 14-7 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets |
| 1941-42 |
| Alabama Crimson Tide 29-21 Texas A&M Aggies |
| 1940-41 |
| Texas A&M Aggies 13-12 Fordham Rams |
| 1939-40 |
| Clemson Tigers 6-3 Boston College Eagles |
| 1938-39 |
St Mary's Gaels 20-13 Texas Tech Red Raiders |
| 1937-38 |
| Rice Owls 28-14 Colorado Buffaloes |
| 1936-37 |
| TCU Horned Frogs 16-6 Marquette Golden Avalanche |