After just missing out on the College Football Playoff, No. 7 Ohio State had a chance to finish its season on a good note in the Cotton Bowl Classic on Friday night against Missouri. It did not go well.
The Buckeyes had most of their roster intact, particularly when compared to most non-CFP teams. That said, they were without two critical players during the season. Superstar receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. opted out of the bowl. Ohio State was also without Kyle McCord, the team’s starting quarterback during the season, who is transferring. But if the Buckeyes and their fans were hoping that the Cotton Bowl would be a good chance to showcase the team’s depth and preview next season, it didn’t go well.
Devin Brown, who started the game at quarterback, was knocked out early. And the Ohio State offense could not get on track. Lincoln Kienholz replaced Brown and struggled passing all night, finishing 6-for-17 and passing for only 106 yards. Running back TreVeyon Henderson ran for 72 yards on 19 carries. Ohio State finished the game with only 203 yards of total offense and scored just three points.
But for much of the night, it looked like those three points might stand up. The Buckeyes kept Missouri off of the scoreboard for most of the game. Late in the third quarter, though, the Tigers began to find some cracks in the Buckeye defense. And on the first play of the fourth quarter, Cody Schrader gave Missouri its first lead of the game with a seven-yard touchdown run, capping off a 95-yard drive.
Ohio State couldn’t answer. Later in the fourth quarter, Missouri quarterback Brady Cook and receiver Luther Burden III connected on a seven-yard touchdown, giving the Tigers a 14-3 lead and effectively ending the game.
Ohio State drove into Missouri territory but the Tigers forced a turnover with a strip-sack of Kienholz. Missouri drove deep into Buckeyes territory on the ensuing drive, but ran the clock out, securing a 14-3 win.
Ohio State was heavily panned for its performance.
Do people understand how hard it is to go 11-0 at Ohio State and then lose to two UMs in a row? John Cooper didn’t even do that
— Ramzy Nasrallah (@ramzy) December 30, 2023
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