Eli Drinkwitz knows Ohio State will be a 'tall challenge' for Missouri in Cotton Bowl

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Buckeyes already facing big roster decisions, early Cotton Bowl preview

For the first time in the College Football Playoff era, Missouri will play in a New Year Six bowl. Eli Drinkwitz had a great season, earning a 10-2 record and finishing No. 9 in the CFP rankings. Their reward will be Ohio State, being the two program’s first meeting since 1998.

Drinkwitz understands how difficult of a challenge Ohio State will be, even after going up against an SEC schedule. The Buckeyes were one drive away from most likely being in the College Football Playoff, falling short against Michigan on Nov. 25. Plenty of talent will be lining up at AT&T Stadium in just under a month.

“It’s going to be a really tall challenge,” Drinkwitz said. “Very good football team. Coach Day does an excellent job. So, that’s going to be a great challenge. I know our team was excited. The quality of opponent you get is always a lot of fun. Obviously, they’ve got some really good players. So, that will bring our attention to focus pretty quickly.”

Part of the difficulty for Drinkwitz might be preparing for a new quarterback. Ohio State saw Kyle McCord enter the NCAA transfer portal after spending the entire 2023 season as the starter. Now, Missouri is likely to go up against Devin Brown, someone who did not get a ton of reps.

A stout defense will be on the other end, ready for Missouri’s balanced attack. Cody Schrader has been one of the best running backs in the country all season, while Luther Burden has enjoyed an incredible sophomore season. Ohio State DC Jim Knowles has been able to shut nearly every offense down he has faced this season.

Additionally, these types of games are going to be nothing new for the Buckeyes. If not competing for a national championship in the CFP, Ohio State has been in the NY6 every other year. The moment will certainly not be too big for the players.

Drinkwitz mentioned needing to bring attention to focus and potentially not get too caught up in the moment. Yes, it’s a big deal for the Missouri program to be on the stage they are. Getting a win against what many would consider a blue-blood would be even bigger. Momentum could continue to grow heading into the 2024 season.

Emotions will be high running onto the field on Dec. 29. In the days leading up and once the ball is kicked off, Drinkwitz will make sure his team is focused and ready to go toe-to-toe with Ohio State.