Why Ohio State QB Devin Brown Wears Unconventional Jersey Number

The Ohio State Buckeyes are looking to earn their 12th win of the season against the Missouri Tigers in the Cotton Bowl at AT&T Stadium on Friday night.

It is not often that football fans will find a starting quarterback wearing jersey No. 33. 

In Friday night's Cotton Bowl, No. 7 Ohio State‘s signal-caller Devin Brown is sporting the unconventional jersey number against No. 9 Missouri.

Brown is making his first career start in place of Kyle McCord who transferred to Syracuse on Dec. 17. The talented sophomore wears the number in honor of Pro and College Football Hall of Famer Sammy Baugh, who played for TCU as a collegian and Washington in the NFL.

“He actually played in the first Cotton Bowl and was the MVP,” said Brown. “What an experience this going to be for me and a pretty cool story to go along with that.”

No. 33 looking to add to the legacy in the Cotton Bowl. #Buckeyes QB Devin Brown picked the number in homage to Sammy Baugh, who was the MVP in the first ever Cotton Bowl. pic.twitter.com/cf3F3YZj79

— Kellyanne Stitts (@KellyanneStitts) December 27, 2023

Brown has shared that his father told him stories about Baugh as a kid which led to Brown eventually changing from No. 15 to No. 33 last spring.

During ESPN’s telecast on Friday night, Dave Pasch and Dusty Dvoracek shared that “Brown loved the toughness that his dad told him Sammy Baugh played with and utilizes it as motivation.” 

Brown is making his first start for Ohio State at the Cotton Bowl against Missouri / Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

Brown was forced to leave the game in the second quarter with lower leg injury after completing 4 of 6 passes for 20 yards in the low-scoring Cotton Bowl. 

While it has yet to be announced whether Brown will be able to return, Ohio State has now handed the offense over to freshman Lincoln Kienholz. The Buckeyes lead the Tigers 3–0 late in the second quarter.