The full picture of Ohio State’s Cotton Bowl roster hasn’t been painted yet.
Decisions regarding opt-outs for the 2024 NFL draft still linger and the transfer portal will remain open until Jan. 2 for players to declare their intentions to leave their current school for another one.
Still, as the Buckeyes prepare to take on Missouri Dec. 29 in Arlington, Texas, plenty of young players will be looking to elevate their status going into next season with a strong performance against the Tigers.
Non-playoff bowl clashes can be especially fruitful in this endeavor. Looking back at Ohio State’s Rose Bowl win over Utah following the 2021 campaign, opt-outs from Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson allowed Marvin Harrison Jr.