[3][4] This was the only bowl game of the season that matched two top-ten teams in the final AP Poll, which was released in early December.

The eighth-ranked Owls (7–3) had been to three previous Cotton Bowls, two within the decade, and finished first in the Southwest Conference for the fourth time in eleven years.

Team captain Ned Oldham added another early in the third quarter to give Navy a commanding 20–0 lead.

[3][4] Ken Williams—stepfather of pro wrestler Steve Austin—caught a touchdown pass from Frank Ryan to narrow the lead to 13, but Rice never seriously threatened from that point on.

Navy reached the Cotton Bowl six years later (with Roger Staubach at quarterback), but lost to top-ranked Texas, and have not returned.