Cotton Bowl: Missouri vs. Ohio State

The Missouri Tigers and Ohio State Buckeyes will take on one another in the Cotton Bowl this year. 

Below, we have the three best prop bets for this matchup while considering the numerous absences set for this game. 

Missouri vs. Ohio State Props

Pick: Missouri Under 22.5 Total Points (+105) at DraftKings

Missouri looks to have most of its offense intact, including quarterback Brady Cook, running back Cody Schrader, wide receiver Luther Burden III, and their offensive line. 

However, the same, as of now, can be said for the Ohio State defense. 

This year, the Buckeyes defense allowed 11.4 points, 113.9 rushing yards, and a college football-low 148.6 passing yards per game.

While the Buckeyes offense will be without numerous players and turn to Devin Brown and quarterback resulting in more snaps for the Buckeyes defense, we’re still comfortable taking the under on Missouri here as the Buckeyes defense has shut teams down all season long.

However, should news come out that key defensive players are opting out, you may need to pivot here. We’re relying on the Buckeyes defense suiting up here.  

Pick: Ohio State Under 25.5 Points (-115) at DraftKings

The Buckeyes offense is going to be lacking plenty of firepower here with wide receiver Julian Fleming opting out and potentially Emeka Egbuka and Marvin Harrison Jr. Additionally, quarterback Kyle McCord is transferring, and running backs Chip Trayanum and Miyan Williams are also out of this one. Running back TreVeyon Henderson may also ultimately decide not to play here. 

Missouri has allowed 17.3 points per game over their last three and 23.5 on the season. We’ll gladly take the under here at 25.5, with most of the starting offense missing this one. 

Pick: Largest Lead of the Game Under 15.5 Points (-135) at DraftKings

With Missouri’s offense and the Buckeyes defense intact and the Buckeyes missing several offensive players, it’s hard to imagine either team generating a lead north of two touchdowns. 

As mentioned, the Buckeyes defense is one of the best in the nation. If they suit up, they’ll have no issues here, regardless of the talent of the Missouri offense, as they’ve stopped teams all season long. 

While their defense should hold, their offense may not have enough weapons to score enough to have a 16-point lead. 

Look for the Buckeyes defense to keep the Tigers in check and the Tigers defense, along with the lack of Ohio State weapons, to keep their score low, too. 

• Where: AT&T Stadium, Dallas, TX

• When: Friday, Dec. 29, 8:00 p.m. EST

• How to Watch: ESPN