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The Ohio State Buckeyes have posted yet another two-loss season following Friday’s loss to Missouri in the Cotton Bowl, and head coach Ryan Day knows his team’s performance hasn’t been good enough.
“I told them a lot of guys played hard in this game. You saw guys fighting here and there. We got put in a tough spot and didn’t help [Lincoln Kienholz] at all, and that’s why we lost the game. It hurts to finish the season like this—with two losses,” Day told reporters after the loss. “That’s not good enough at Ohio State and we all know that.”
Ohio State was outplayed by Missouri from start to finish as the Tigers won 14-3.
The Buckeyes offense was particularly horrendous as Kienholz managed to complete just 6 of 17 passes for 86 yards. Devin Brown also took some snaps under center, completing four of six passes for 20 yards.
Wide receiver Emeka Egbuka finished with six catches for 63 yards and running back TreVeyon Henderson rushed for 72 yards on 19 carries.
The Buckeyes have gone 11-2 in each of the last three seasons under Day and have posted back-to-back losses in their bowl games.
To be fair, Ohio State was without two of their best players in Friday’s game, which didn’t help matters.
Quarterback Kyle McCord entered the transfer portal and committed to the Syracuse Orange and star wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. opted out of the game as one of the top prospects in the 2024 NFL draft.
The Buckeyes now enter 2024 with questions at quarterback. Brown and Kienholz will be in the conversation and five-star prospect Air Noland will also arrive in Columbus next season looking to take over the starting job as a freshman.
If Henderson decides to declare for the NFL draft, Dallan Hayden is poised to take over as the team’s starting running back. Carnell Tate and Jeremiah Smith also figure to step up at receiver.
With the Buckeyes having not made the College Football Playoff since 2022, the Buckeyes will be under significant pressure to do so in 2024 when the field expands to 12 teams.
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