Georgia's head coach Ray Goff played quarterback in the 1976 Cotton Bowl loss to Arkansas.
With the Southwest Conference dying, Arkansas athletic director Frank Broyles had engineered a deal for Arkansas to move to the flourishing Southeastern Conference.
Georgia defeated #6 Clemson, but lost to an unranked Vanderbilt team to enter the game at 8–3.
After Georgia added a second-quarter field goal, Arkansas finally got on the board when E. D. Jackson rushed in from seven yards out.
After halftime, Georgia's Andre Hastings broke a 53-yard touchdown run.