ARLINGTON, Texas — Ohio State will be without multiple starters in Friday's game against Missouri in the Cotton Bowl.
After weeks of speculation about whether Marvin Harrison Jr. will play, he has been ruled out.
No players are questionable heading into the game.
The full unavailable list is below:
- Nolan Baudo
- Tommy Eichenberg
- Marvin Harrison Jr.
- Zak Herbstreit (season)
- Lathan Ransom
- Reis Stocksdale (season)
- Miles Walker
- Kourt Williams II (season)
- Miyan Williams (season)
Harrison has made no announcement on whether he will declare for the NFL draft. If he declares for the draft, the Heisman Trophy finalist is expected to be one of the top picks in April.
The 6-foot-4 Harrison had 67 catches for 1,211 yards and 14 touchdowns this season. He has 155 catches for 2,613 yards and 31 TDs in 38 games for the Buckeyes over the last three seasons.
Harrison was a unanimous AP All-American for the second season in a row and won the Biletnikoff Award that goes to the nation's top receiver.
While he is with the Buckeyes at the Cotton Bowl, Harrison was mostly on the side when practice sessions were open to reporters. When asked specifically Thursday if Harrison would play, coach Ryan Day had said he wouldn’t answer that question about Harrison or any other players.
GAME PREVIEW
Cotton Bowl: No. 9 Missouri (10-2, SEC) vs. No. 7 Ohio State (11-1, Big Ten), Dec. 29, 8 p.m. Eastern (ESPN).
Line: Ohio State by 4 1/2, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.
Series record: Ohio State leads 10-1-1.
WHAT’S AT STAKE?
Missouri is in its first New Year's Six game during the four-team College Football Playoff era, which began with Ohio State winning the national title at the end of the 2014 season in AT&T Stadium, where the Cotton Bowl is played. The Tigers have lost their last four bowl games.
Ohio State, which been in a NY6 game every season since its last national title, is playing for the first time since a loss to Michigan in a regular-season finale matching undefeated teams that cost the Buckeyes the chance at a Big Ten title and a playoff spot.
KEY MATCHUP
All-America RB Cody Schrader, QB Brady Cook, playmaking WR Luther Burden III and the Missouri offense against a Buckeyes defense that is third nationally allowing only 259.9 total yards per game. Schrader has run for 1,499 yards and 13 TDs, Cook has thrown for 3,189 yards and 20 TDs with only five interceptions and Burden has 83 catches for 1,197 yards and eight TDs. Ohio State is also the top passing defense, allowing 147 yards per game, and gives up only 11 points a game.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Ohio State: Devin Brown will be the first Buckeyes quarterback to make his first start in a bowl game. The sophomore who threw only 22 passes while appearing in seven games over the past two seasons takes over following Kyle McCord's departure for Syracuse.
Missouri: Schrader was the NCAA Division II rushing leader two years ago before going into the transfer portal and joining the Tigers as a walk-on. He went into the bowl season as the nation's leading rusher with 124.9 yards per game. He has rushed for touchdowns in nine consecutive games, and 841 yards in the last five games.
FACTS & FIGURES
Ohio State won its only two previous Cotton Bowls: 28-12 over Texas A&M on New Year's Day 1987 when the Buckeyes were the first Big Ten team to play in the game, and 24-7 over Southern Cal six years ago Friday.
Missouri's defense has forced 35 sacks and leads the SEC with its plus-9 turnover margin (18 takeaways, nine giveaways).