ARLINGTON, Texas – The grand finale to an exciting Missouri Tigers football season has almost arrived. Mizzou is getting ready for a big test on one of college football’s biggest stages.
The Tigers will battle the Ohio State Buckeyes in the 88th Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic on Friday. The game will be played at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, the home of the Dallas Cowboys.
Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. CT. Friday, and ESPN will carry the game broadcast. Fans can also stream the game with ESPN+, Fubo or Sling TV subscriptions.
A whole month has passed since the Tigers’ last game, a 48-14 Battle Line victory on the road against the Arkansas Razorbacks. That capped the program’s first 10-win season in nearly a decade.
The Tigers say they are trying to embrace the same routine they had for several months as they head into the match. Big stars Luther Burden III, Brady Cook and Cody Schrader are all expected to play.
There’s a bit of uncertainty for Ohio State. Their starting quarterback for much of the season (Kyle McCord) will not play after he entered the transfer portal. Marvin Harrison Jr., one of the best wide receivers in college football this year and son of an Indianapolis Colts legend, did not participate in the most recent round of Ohio State practices and could sit this one out.
Ohio State finished 11-1 this season, just one game back of undefeated Michigan for the Big 10 East title. Their strong season, paired with their history as a college football juggernaut, gives them slightly more favorable odds than Mizzou under most sports betting platforms, or a roughly 3-point spread.
FOX 2’s Daniel Esteve attended Thursday’s media event ahead of the big game.
Interviews ✅
Ohio State | Mizzou
Goodyear Cotton Bowl
Friday, Dec. 29, 2023 | AT&T Stadium pic.twitter.com/Gj5DHKXJoU
— Daniel Esteve (@DanielJEsteve) December 28, 2023
What’s on the line. #CottonBowl @MizzouFootball x @FOX2now pic.twitter.com/TqsDXueArP
— Daniel Esteve (@DanielJEsteve) December 28, 2023
It’s Mizzou’s first Cotton Bowl Classic since 2014, which ended with a 41-31 victory over the Oklahoma State Cowboys.
The matchup could also prove critical for Mizzou’s recruiting efforts in Texas, a high school football hotbed. The Mizzou Alumni Association says the Dallas-Forth Worth area has one of the biggest bases of Mizzou alumni among non-Missouri chapters.
If you’re still looking for potential tickets for the game or more information about the gameday experience, click here for more information.
