COLUMBUS, Ohio — While Ohio State head coach Ryan Day hasn't officially named a starter for the Cotton Bowl, sophomore quarterback Devin Brown says he's "pumped" for the opportunity to play against the Missouri Tigers on Dec. 29.
"I can't believe my first start is going to be in the Cotton Bowl. It's going to be a big stage against a really good team," Brown said speaking with the media on Tuesday. "It's a top-10 matchup and I'm just excited to go out there and show what I can do."
Kyle McCord beat out Devin Brown for the starting job in the preseason and threw for 3,170 yards and 24 touchdowns with six interceptions. Two of the interceptions came in the 30-24 loss to Michigan on Nov. 25.
Day was non-committal when asked if McCord would play in the Cotton Bowl. The next day, the junior quarterback entered the NCAA transfer portal to "explore other opportunities."
When asked about McCord, Brown said he went through a lot this season and had a lot of tough moments but McCord was able to grow as a player and as a leader.
"Being able to sit behind him and watch him grow really helped me look back and think about the things I should work on," Brown said.
It's unclear if Ohio State is going after any of the top quarterbacks in the transfer portal.
"My focus is on being the starting quarterback at Ohio State," Brown said. "I've never cared about who was in the room or anybody that was coming... I'm going to compete and do what I can do."
If Brown does in fact start in the Cotton Bowl, he'll have at least one of the Buckeyes best offensive weapons with him on the feild. Junior wideout Emeka Egbuka said he plans to play in the game but he's still undecided on whether or not he'll declare for the NFL Draft next year.
When asked what Brown brings the offense, Egbuka said they he really has a knack for extending the play after it's broken down.
"I think he's a great passer, a great improviser, a great field general. He's someone who provides the offense with a lot of energy, which is huge for that position," Egbuka said of Brown. "He's got a cannon too. Those deep balls down the field, he can launch those too."
Also announcing their commitment to play in the New Year’s Six bowl game were Ohio State juniors Donovan Jackson (OL), Denzel Burke, Jack Sawyer (DE), Tyleik Williams (DT) and Jordan Hancock (CB). Their plans to return for another season at Ohio State are also up in the air.