Missouri Tigers vs. Ohio State Buckeyes 2023 Cotton Bowl Classic Odds, Time, and Prediction

The 2023 Cotton Bowl Classic will be the 13^th time that the Missouri Tigers are taking on the Ohio State Buckeyes. The Buckeyes lead the all-time series 10-1-1, but it’s been a while since these two played each other the last time. In fact, their previous duel happened in 1998.

Twenty-five years later, the Tigers are favored to win. However, the odds suggest the 2023 Cotton Bowl Classic is going to be a very close game.

Missouri Tigers vs. Ohio State Buckeyes 2023 Cotton Bowl Classic Odds

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When, Where, and How to Watch?

• Place: AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas             
• Date: Friday, December 29, 2023
• Time: 8:00 p.m. ET
• How to Watch: ESPN

Missouri Tigers Want to Cash In on Their Good Form

The Missouri Tigers finished the regular NCAAF season with a 10-2 record. Their only losses happened to Georgia and LSU. In both of those games, Missouri was the underdog.

Throughout the season, Eliah Drinkwitz’s boys were good both offensively and defensively. They did concede 49 points against LSU, but Missouri’s defensive team kept all the other opponents to no more than 31 points.

Still, if there’s something their fans will remember the 2023 college season for, it’s Missouri’s super-productive offense. Their average was 34.08 PPG, which is pretty respectable.

They got to such a high number thanks to some brilliant performance of their quarterback Brady Cook who threw for 3,189 yards and 20 touchdowns in 2023. His favorite target was wide receiver Luther Burden who recorded 1,197 receiving yards and eight touchdowns this season.

Then, there’s running back Cody Schrader who’s the recipient of this year’s Burlsworth Trophy for the best college football player who started his career as a walk-on. Schrader gained 1,489 yards for the Tigers, scoring 13 TDs along the way.

With these guys on the field of AT&T Stadium, Mizz should have no worries about scoring. But can their defense handle the Buckeyes’ offense?

2023 Cotton Bowl Classic is Ohio State’s First Game Without Kyle McCord

After going 11-1 in the regular season and finishing second in the Big Ten (East) conference, just behind Michigan, the Ohio State Buckeyes were the No. 2 team in the nation. But then, their quarterback Kyle McCord decided to enter the transfer portal. The result of his decision was that his team plummeted to the No. 7 position in the rankings.

The obvious question is can they hope without him? McCord was crucial for their success in 2023 and with backup QB Devin Brown, they shouldn’t hope to achieve much passing-wise. Sure, they’ve still got some really good receivers on the roster, most notably, Marvin Harrison Jr. who recorded 1,211 yards in 2023, scoring 14 touchdowns.

However, in the 2023 Cotton Bowl Classic, their offense will probably have to work harder on running the ball. This tactic might not result in a lot of touchdowns, which is why we think it’s their defense that may decide the outcome of this game.

If Ohio State’s defensive team does a good job on December 29, the Buckeyes are going to win. It’s as simple as that!

Missouri Tigers vs. Ohio State Buckeyes Prediction

We think Mizz will win the 2023 Cotton Bowl Classic. They’re a decent team in 2023 and with the problems the Buckeyes have on the offensive team, the Tigers look destined to beat them for the first time in decades.

Pick: Missouri Tigers (-140)