No. 9 Missouri's surprising season ended with a 14-3 win over a declawed No. 7 Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl Classic on Friday, setting up the program for its first top 10 finish since 2013.
To say the game was a slog would be generous. Only one drive in the first half ended in something other than a punt, when Ohio State turned some generous field position into a 44-yard field goal. The two teams combined for 183 yards total, averaging 2.8 yards per play.
Ohio State entered the game shorthanded on offense, missing starting quarterback Kyle McCord and Heisman Trophy finalist Marvin Harrison Jr., then lost back-up quarterback Devin Brown to an injury in the first quarter. Third-stringer Lincoln Kienholz, who had attempted five passes total this season entering bowl season, took over.
It was almost jarring when Missouri broke the ice at the end of the third quarter. Quarterback Brady Cook hit a wide-open Marquis Johnson on play action for 50 yards to go from deep in the Tigers' territory to the red zone. Before that, Missouri's longest play had been for 17 yards,
It was only the second time the Ohio State defense allowed a play of 40+ yards all season and set up what wound up being the decisive score.
Cody Schrader gets Mizzou on the board‼️ pic.twitter.com/7L4v2ovaIU
— ESPN (@espn) December 30, 2023
The Buckeyes responded with one of their best drives of the game, but a Kienholz fumble ended it at the Mizzou 35. The Tigers responded with a 13-play, 91-yard drive to put the game away.
