The Missouri Tigers will play without three defenders when they face off against Ohio State Dec. 29 in the Cotton Bowl. The Tigers head coach Eliah Drinkwitz said that linebacker Ty’Ron Hopper, cornerback Ennis Rakestraw and linebacker Chad Bailey will miss the game due to injuries.
In just 10 games, Hopper was second on the team with 55 tackles, six for a loss, three sacks, three pass breakups and six quarterback hurries, so it will be a significant absence for Missouri with an ankle sprain he suffered late in the season.
Rakestraw has been an impact player for the Tigers as well with 35 tackles, 1 ½ for a loss, three passes broken up and a forced fumble in just nine games of action.
Bailey only played five games this season, suffering an abdominal injury in the middle of the year and he hasn’t been able to return yet. He had 17 tackles, one for a loss, a pass breakup and a forced fumble when he was on the field for the Tigers.
Missouri’s defense is ranked 39th in the country with 347.2 yards allowed per game, and it is 41st in the nation with 22.3 points allowed per game.
The three players missing because of injuries will be the only players Missouri will be missing for the game since Drinkwitz said that none of its players will opt out of the game. Whether Ohio State will be at full strength or have opt outs is still not known, but Ryan Day said there could be updates after a team meeting the Buckeyes had Saturday.
