The Cotton Bowl, which had been one of the traditional New Year’s Day bowls is being play today, Friday, December 29th, in prime time. The game features #7 Ohio State and #9 Missouri.
Ohio State, of course, is from the Big Ten. Pardon the double negative, but they are not used to not playing on New Year’s Day. Their first-string quarterback, Kyle McCord, is not playing have entered the portal after the Michigan loss and has already transferred to Syracuse. They are without their All-Everything wide receiver, Marvin Harrison Jr. He opted out of the game presumably to enter the NFL draft. Their solid linebacker, Tommy Eichenberg, is injured. One of the hard driving running backs, Chip Trayanum, is also in the portal. They started with Devin Brown at quarterback. It was his first start. He got hurt, ankle injury, in the first half and had to leave the game. He was replaced by freshman Lincoln Kienholz.
Missouri, on the other hand, has everyone on their roster wanting to play in this game. They are a surging team under the coaching leadership of Eliah Drinkwitz. They were picked to be second to last in the SEC. They have came into the Cotton Bowl 10-2. They only lost to Georgia and LSU. They beat Florida, Kansas State, Tennessee, and Kentucky. They are a tough running team with a very good defense.
As kick-off approached, I was actually debating if I should root for Ohio State, as they are a Big Ten team, or for Missouri simply because they are not Ohio State. I actually did debate it and was leaning toward the Buckeyes. I thought Ohio State would want to trounce Missouri show the world who they were… transfer portal and opting out be damned. As soon as the broadcast started, I saw Missouri sporting their black helmets with… a very maize-like block M. Well, that settled it. Screw it. Go Mizzou! Pound Ohio State.
Defenses dominated, especially in the first half. Ohio State managed to get a field goal in the first quarter. That was all the scoring in the first half. Period. In the Cotton Bowl. The offensive output was dismal. Ohio State was held to a measly 76 yards in total, 20 passing and 56 rushing. Boy were they missing Kyle McCord. Missouri only did a bit better with 112 total yards, 28 passings, and 84 rushing.
There was no scoring in the third quarter. Ohio State attempted a 48-yard field goal which banged off the left upright.
In the fourth quarter, Missouri stepped up their offense and defense. They simply took over and won the game. They had two long drives for TDs. The Missouri offensive line started opening up holes for their gutty running back Cody Schrader who carried the ball 29 times for 128 yards. It was impressive… for Missouri and, no doubt, for everyone that roots against Ohio State.
For Ohio State, I can only imagine the tone and tenor of the ranting and raving about this loss in the Buckeye Nation. Their stats were dismal. They were held to a field goal. They never got in the red zone. They had 203 total yards. They were held to 106 yards passing and 97 yards running. Their third down efficiency was 2 for 15. Wow.
They, the Ohio Statesfans and coaching staff, drove Kyle McCord into the transfer portal. They dissed and discarded a quarterback that had 3,170 yards passing and 24 TDs who led the Buckeyes to an 11-1 record. He lost to Michigan but he was driving his team for a tie or win on the last drive of the game. The Michigan defense caused an errant pass and interception that ended the game. McCord is a pretty impressive QB.
I was glad to see Ohio State lose but I cannot and will not gloat. I remember our dismal Rich Rod and Brady Hoke eras and the gloating coming our way from the Buckeye fans. Furthermore, we have Alabama in the Rose Bowl on January 1 that has to be our focus.
I can, however, congratulate Mizzou on a gutty hard fought win.
Next year the College Football Playoffs expands to 12 teams. Perhaps this new format will stem the tide of premier players opting out of bowl games. Perhaps, what I am guessing is an 11 game tournament, will make several bowl games more relevant and well attended than they were this year
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