Game Details
In a match with a high number of kicks (16) compared to points, Missouri (11-2) achieved two consecutive scoring drives of over 90 yards after completing 8 kicks prior. Cook completed a 7-yard touchdown pass to Luther Burden III with 5:12 remaining in the game.
Ohio State Absences
Ohio State (11-2) played without player Marvin Harrison Jr., who has won the First-Team All-American award twice. Player Kyle McCord also missed the game, having left the team earlier this month to transfer to Syracuse. Devin Brown, who stepped in as the backup, was injured in the middle of the second quarter with a high left ankle sprain. The game ended with Ohio State totaling just 203 yards.
Missouri’s Victory
After finishing the game with a score of 6-7 in previous seasons, Missouri completed its season with 11 wins for the first time since 2014. Coach Eli Drinkwitz said, “I think this game was a testament to brotherhood. A group of players who have wrestled through adversity throughout their lives and careers. We are not a big team. We are a tired brotherhood that loves each other and fights for each other.”
Scrader and Swayer Performance
Scrader recorded 128 yards and one touchdown in the fourth quarter, after rushing for 60 yards on 15 attempts prior. Scrader set a Missouri single-season record with 1,627 rushing yards, surpassing Tyler Badie’s previous record of 1,604 yards in 2021. Scrader is the national leader with an average of 125.2 yards per game. Meanwhile, Swayer recorded three sacks in the game, bringing his total to six sacks for Ohio State.
The Future
Cook is expected to return for a third season as the leader of Missouri, along with Burden as the top receiving target. Missouri’s next season will start on August 31 at home against Murray State. For Ohio State, Brown and Kienholz, along with five-star recruit Air Noland, are expected to compete for the quarterback position in the spring. There is uncertainty about who will be the backups when Ohio State begins the 2024 season at home against Akron.
Source: https://apnews.com/article/cotton-bowl-score-ohio-state-missouri-6283c392e4e1ffeb3ce6f68db92cfbfc
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