We review all of Ohio State’s appearances in the Cotton Bowl and a brief history of what happened. It has become more frequent in recent years and lately it has very good memories.
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Let’s dive in…
1987: Classic 51: Ohio State vs. Texas A&M
Ohio State earned its first appearance in the Cotton Bowl by defeating the Aggies 28-12. The Buckeyes entered with a 9-3 record and were Big Ten co-champions despite losing to Michigan in the final week of the season. The defense dominated with five interceptions, including picks by Chris Spielman and Michael Kee. Offensively, quarterback Jim Karsatos gave up 195 passing yards, and wide receiver Cris Carter accounted for 61 of those yards on four receptions.
2017: The 82nd Classic – Ohio State vs. USC
Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Parris Campbell (21) runs the ball as USC Trojans cornerback Isaiah Langley (24) tackles during the third quarter of the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the USC Trojans on Friday, December 29, 2017 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. (Joshua A. Bickel/Dispatch)
The 2017 season was a strange one for Ohio State, highlighted by losses to Baker Mayfield and Oklahoma in Columbus and then a surprising loss at Iowa, where JT Barrett threw four interceptions. The Buckeyes missed the CFP, but did get a bowl matchup with Sam Darnold and the USC Trojans. Darnold went in the top five of the NFL Draft and, although he finished with 356 passing yards, he had no touchdowns and threw one interception in 45 attempts. Ohio State controlled the ground game, rushing for 163 yards and two touchdowns through JT Barrett and JK Dobbins. The Buckeyes topped USC and won 24–7 at Jerry’s World.
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2023: The 88th Classic: Ohio State vs. Missouri
December 29, 2023; Arlington, Texas, United States; Missouri Tigers defensive back Jaylon Carlies (1) tackles Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Emeka Egbuka (2) during the fourth quarter of the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic at AT&T Stadium. Ohio State lost 14-3.
The last year of the four-team playoffs ended with Ohio State missing the CFP after a Week 12 loss to Michigan. They were sent to the Cotton Bowl to face a 10-2 Missouri team in a game where the Buckeyes had little at stake and many stars opted out, including Marvin Harrison Jr. and nine others. That left a young squad to face the Tigers, and it showed.
Backup quarterback Devin Brown was injured early, forcing rookie Lincoln Kienholz into action, and he struggled, completing 6 of 17 passes for 86 yards. Freshman TreVeyon Henderson finished with 72 rushing yards on 19 carries, and Emeka Egbuka recorded six receptions for 63 yards. Ohio State fell 14-3 in a game that offered little value and left everyone feeling like the night couldn’t have ended soon enough.
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2024: The 89th Classic: Ohio State vs. Texas
Ohio State Buckeyes defensive end Jack Sawyer (33) sacks Texas Longhorns quarterback Quinn Ewers (3) forcing a fumble during the second half of the Cotton Bowl Classic College Football Playoff semifinal game at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on Jan. 10, 2025. Sawyer returned the fumble for a touchdown and Ohio State won 28-14.
This matchup became one of the most memorable games of Ohio State’s decade and ultimately sent the Buckeyes to the national championship. Jeremiah Smith was stifled by an excellent Texas defense and finished with just one reception for three yards, leaving Carnell Tate and Emeka Egbuka to do most of the receiving work. Tate recorded seven catches for 87 yards and Egbuka added five for 51. However, the most impactful receiving play came from running back TreVeyon Henderson.
With less than thirty seconds left in the first half, Henderson caught a screen pass from Will Howard and ran 75 yards for a touchdown that put Ohio State up 14–7. Quinshon Judkins added two rushing touchdowns, but the decisive moment came from the defense and Jack Sawyer.
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Texas, down seven with just over two minutes left, drove to the Ohio State one-yard line. The Buckeyes blocked Texas running back Quintrevion Wisner for a seven-yard loss, pushing the Longhorns back within eight. On fourth-and-goal, former OSU quarterback Quinn Ewers was sacked by Jack Sawyer for a loss of nine yards, fumbled and Sawyer scooped it up and ran 83 yards to seal the game. Ohio State won 28-14 and beat Notre Dame for the national championship.
Ohio State has built a strong track record in the Cotton Bowl, and whether the Buckeyes face Miami or Texas A&M, they should be prepared for whatever comes their way. Winning the Big Ten Championship and securing the lone berth would have been nice, but facing adversity before the CFP may end up being exactly what Ryan Day and the 2025 Buckeyes needed.
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This article originally appeared on Buckeyes Wire: Ohio State football in the Cotton Bowl: A look through the years.