The Hogs defeated #11 Texas and #10 Rice, but lost to #20 Baylor and second-ranked Ole Miss.

It was the Razorbacks' third appearance in the Cotton Bowl,[3] and the first under third-year head coach Frank Broyles.

Duke won the Atlantic Coast Conference, but lost its final two games,[3] on the road at North Carolina and UCLA.

In a game full of stars such as Lance Alworth of Arkansas and Don Altman and Tee Moorman of Duke, Dave Unser came up biggest.

In the fourth quarter, the Blue Devils hooked together five passes from Altman to Moorman in one drive that culminated in the tying touchdown and go-ahead extra point.