ARLINGTON, Texas – So far, through one half, there is a ton of mystery here at AT&T Stadium for the 88 th playing of the Goodyear Cotton Bowl.
Ohio State, ranked seventh in the country, is playing without its starting quarterback for the first 12 games of the year (Kyle McCord, who transferred) and its best receiver (Marvin Harrison Jr., who is here, but not playing, but hasn’t declared for the NFL Draft – we assume that’s coming).
Missouri, ranked ninth in the country and who came in averaging 34 points a game, has been held to exactly none by a stingy Buckeyes defense.
The halftime score here in Arlington, the home of the Dallas Cowboys, is 3-0, Ohio State.
And sometimes, that’s not a bad thing. There has been a lot of intrigue in this very defensive-first game, and let me say, the Mizzou fans – they’ve brought the boos.
A late first-half flag on Missouri defensive lineman Johnny Walker Jr. allowed the Buckeyes to keep their drive going, giving them a first down at their own 16-yard-line, and then wide receiver Xavier Johnson picked up 17 yards on a run that got them out of a hole and to the 34.
Devin Brown started the game at quarterback for the Buckeyes after McCord transferred to Syracuse, but Brown was noticeably limping late in the first quarter and wound up out of the game and riding a stationary bike on the Ohio State sideline.
In the game: freshman Lincoln Kienholz, trying to keep the Buckeyes in front. But Ohio State’s defense weren’t the only ones playing solid. The Tigers held Ohio State to 0-for-8 in third-down attempts in the first half.
Mizzou quarterback Brady Cook hit a 17-yard completion to Mookie Cooper to midfield with eight seconds left in the half, then completed one to Luther Burden III for 5 more. With three seconds left, the Tigers lined up to let Harrison Mevis try to kick a 65-yard field goal, but they were flagged for delay of game, and the half ended unceremoniously with Cook rolling out, chased by a Ohio State defender, and his pass billowing harmlessly out of bounds.
At the half, both teams have five first downs each. Missouri has only 28 passing yards, Ohio State, 20. Mizzou has ran 32 total offensive plays; Ohio State, 30. They’ve each punted six times, and each team has been penalized four times (the Buckeyes four for 22 yards and Missouri, four for 25).
The time of possession? You guessed it, almost even. Missouri has held the ball 14:46, Ohio State, 15:14.
A lone Ohio State fan braves the Missouri section at AT&T Stadium Friday night in the 88th Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic. (Photo by JENNA HAGLER LUCAS – THEFOOTBALLBEAT.COM)
