Goodyear introduces to life size tire sculptures for the Cotton Bowl Classic

Akron, OH – Goodyear introduced two life-sized tire mascot sculptures handcrafted by artist and former minor league baseball player, Blake McFarland, to commemorate each team advancing to the 87th annual Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic. Made from Goodyear tires, these sculptures celebrate the long journey and outstanding performance of each team to get to this year’s Classic.

Standing between 6 and 7 feet tall and weighing more than 500 pounds collectively, the tire art features University of Southern California’s mascot, Tommy the Trojan, and the Tulane University mascot, the Green Wave. The tire-based artwork was constructed from more than 300 Goodyear-branded tires, uses approximately 10,000 hidden staples and took a total of 438 hours to complete in just 16 days.

“Goodyear Cotton Bowl Tire Art is a creative and connective tradition because it embodies the team spirit and road-tested perseverance each team exemplified throughout the season,” said Meg Lee, vice president of Marketing, Goodyear. “For loyal fans traveling across the country to support their teams, tire art is a celebration of their drive and their journeys well-traveled. We welcome both teams, along with their fans, to this year’s game.”

A celebrated Cotton Bowl tradition since 2016, the artwork will serve as the centerpiece for many of the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic festivities leading up to the game on Jan. 2 at AT&T Stadium and will be donated to the schools following the game.

The Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic hosts marquee matchups as a member of the “New Year’s Six,” the top bowl games included in the College Football Playoff semifinal rotation. In 2021, Goodyear announced an agreement to renew its title sponsorship of the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic and will host a College Football Playoff semifinal game in 2024. The agreement extended a more than six-decade association with college football dating back to when the Goodyear Blimp first provided aerial coverage at the 1955 Rose Bowl game.

Fans can watch No. 10 USC and No. 16 Tulane face off in the 2023 Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic on ESPN on Jan. 2, at 12 p.m. CST.