In the Cotton Bowl clash at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, No. 7 Ohio State faces No. 9 Missouri in the first New Year's Six showdown of the postseason on Friday night. Despite Ohio State's historical dominance with a 10-1-1 series lead, this encounter marks a significant challenge as Missouri enters the game with their best regular season since 2014. Motivated by their first-ever appearance in a New Year's Six game, the Tigers pose a formidable opponent.
While Ohio State missed out on the College Football Playoff due to a loss to Michigan, their presence in the Cotton Bowl is a historic milestone. Being the sole program to feature in a New Year's Six bowl throughout the four-team College Football Playoff era for ten consecutive seasons is a remarkable achievement.
However, Ohio State is undergoing notable changes to its offense, losing starting quarterback Kyle McCord to Syracuse and facing the absence of Heisman finalist receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., who is contemplating NFL offers. Additionally, the departure of the Buckeyes' second-leading rusher, Chip Trayanum, to Kentucky adds to the adjustments.
Despite these challenges, Ohio State brings considerable talent into the game, even if some of it remains untested.
