Mizzou has secured a spot in a New Year’s Six bowl game for the first time in the College Football Playoff era. With a 10-2 record, the Tigers earned the No. 9 spot in the final College Football Playoff rankings and are set to face No. 7 Ohio State (11-1) in the Cotton Bowl on Dec. 29 at 7 p.m. in Arlington, Texas, as announced by the CFP selection committee on Sunday afternoon.
The Tigers have a 2-1 record all-time in the prestigious New Year’s staple in north Texas, with their most recent appearance resulting in a 41-31 victory over Oklahoma State in 2013. This upcoming matchup will mark the 13th meeting between Missouri and Ohio State, with the Buckeyes holding a commanding 10-1-1 lead in the series. The teams haven’t faced each other in over two decades, with Ohio State winning the last encounter 35-14 in 1998.
Ohio State lost its perfect season with a loss to archrival Michigan on Nov. 25. Despite the setback, the Buckeyes boast the nation’s second-ranked defense and a formidable offense featuring star players like wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr.
This Cotton Bowl appearance marks the third bowl game season under Coach Eli Drinkwitz, who aims to secure his first bowl victory after previous losses to Army and Wake Forest in the 2021 Armed Forces Bowl and last season’s Gasparilla Bowl, respectively.
In a historic and controversial conclusion to the four-team College Football Playoff era, Michigan, Washington, Texas, and Alabama were selected for the playoff, with Florida State experiencing an unprecedented snub. The matchups were announced on Sunday, with Michigan set to face Alabama in the Rose Bowl and Washington playing Texas in the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 1. The winners will compete for the national championship on Jan. 8 in Houston.
Florida State (13-0), despite being the first unbeaten Power Five conference champion to be excluded from the playoff, found itself left out of the field. The Seminoles, led by Coach Mike Norvell, faced adversity with the loss of star quarterback Jordan Travis to a season-ending injury but continued to win with backup and third-string quarterbacks.
The controversy arose as the committee opted for Alabama, the SEC champion that upset Georgia, and Big 12 champion Texas, which had beaten Alabama earlier in the season, over the unbeaten Seminoles. The SEC’s streak of never missing the playoff remained intact, and Texas secured its first appearance in the CFP in its last season as a member of the Big 12 before moving to the SEC.
The matchups set the stage for an intriguing playoff, with Michigan seeking its first playoff victory and Texas and Alabama making significant appearances. The decision marked the toughest in the 10-year history of the playoff format, according to CFP executive director Bill Hancock.
Michigan, favored to win the national title according to FanDuel Sportsbook, faces Alabama, which has won the playoff three times under Coach Nick Saban. Washington, making its second CFP appearance, is set to play Texas, coached by former Washington coach Steve Sarkisian.
The controversy surrounding Florida State’s exclusion and the tough decision faced by the committee highlighted the challenges and criticisms inherent in the playoff selection process. The playoff format is set to expand to 12 teams next year, but this year’s contentious decision added to the ongoing debates surrounding the system.
