Mizzou Selected for Cotton Bowl vs Ohio State

Missouri Tigers football was selected for a New Year's Six Bowl for the first time in program history on Sunday.

Mizzou football has been selected for the Cotton Bowl against Ohio State in Dallas at AT&T Stadium on Friday, December 29th. The Tigers have never been selected for a New Year's Six bowl since they were formed in the 2014 season. The game will be broadcasted on ESPN.

"What a tremendous honor to be selected for the New Year's Six," Missouri head coach Eli Drinkwitz said. "And what a tremendous matchup with Ohio State."

Missouri has now made a bowl game for the third straight year. The Tigers were one of the most improved teams in college football this year, going from a 6-6 regular season finish in 2022 to 10-2 in 2023.

"At the start of the year there was a poll — would we even make a bowl game. And instead we're one of the top teams in the country that's going to the New Year's Six," Drinkwitz added.

Coach Drinkwitz stated that he expects all players besides linebacker Chad Bailey and possibly cornerback Ennis Rakestraw, who are both dealing with injuries, to be available to play in the game. Drinkwitz also added that any player who intends to transfer from Missouri will still be allowed to play in the Cotton Bowl.

Ohio State was ranked at No. 7 in the most recent Associated Press Top 25 poll, two spots ahead of Missouri at No. 9. Ohio State finished the regular season with a 11-1 record, with their only loss coming to Michigan in the final week of the regular season. 

"I'm sure we'll be a big underdog in the game and I'm sure most people will write us off and it'll be fun and that'll be good," Drinkwitz said.

Missouri was led by an explosive offense that average 34 points per game. Running back Cody Schrader finished the year with 1,489 rushing yards, the highest in the SEC for 2023, and the third most in a single season in Missouri history. Quarterback Brady Cook's 3,189 passing yards and wide receiver Luther Burden III's 1,197 receiving yards were both the third highest in those categories for the SEC.

Missouri has only played Ohio State 12 times in the two school's histories , going 1-10-1 in the series. The last times the two teams met was in 1998 where the Buckeyes came with a 35-14 victory in Columbus. 

Here’s #Mizzou’s reaction to the bowl game news. The Tigers are headed to the Cotton Bowl for the first time since 2013. @CoMoSports pic.twitter.com/ldjrIEXiqq

— Wendell Shepherd (@wendellsjr_) December 3, 2023

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