Ohio State didn't let missing out on the College Football Playoff stand in the way of capping off its season in impressive fashion with a 24-7 win over USC in the 2017 Cotton Bowl Classic.
After beating Wisconsin on Dec. 2 to win the Big Ten championship, the Buckeyes were hoping their resume was strong enough to warrant a playoff selection as one of the top four teams in the country. They wound up at No. 5, leaving them with a matchup against Pac-12 champion USC.
Head coach Urban Meyer had his team ready to go.