Ohio State’s roster for the Cotton Bowl got a boost on Tuesday when several upperclassmen announced they will play in the Buckeyes’ final game of the season instead of opting out of the contest.
The list of Buckeyes includes cornerbacks Denzel Burke and Jordan Hancock, defensive linemen Jack Sawyer and Tyleik Williams, linebacker Cody Simon, offensive lineman Donovan Jackson and wide receiver Emeka Egbuka, all of whom will suit up for Ohio State against Missouri in the Cotton Bowl on Dec. 29 in Arlington, Texas.
While each have different reasons for playing, Burke said the locker room is looking to rebound from the loss to Michigan and finish the season with a win.
“It’s horrible,” he said. “We didn’t get the job done, but we’re just looking forward to finishing this season strong and finishing on a good. note so we can have momentum going into the 2024 season.”
While all plan to play in the Cotton Bowl, Simon was the only one that declared he will be returning to Ohio State next season. The other potential departures who will play in the Cotton Bowl said they are undecided on their future after this season concludes.
The announcements offer a significant boost for Ohio State, which faced a potentially limited roster against Missouri if a number of starters decided to opt out. Even so, Ohio State will still be breaking in a new quarterback in the game following the transfer of regular-season starter Kyle McCord, with redshirt freshman Devin Brown presumably set to take the reins.
But, with seemingly the majority of the Buckeyes expected to play – an exception might be Marvin Harrison Jr., who said on Thursday that he is still undecided on both the Cotton Bowl and his future at Ohio State – the team has a chance to end the season on a positive note.
