Who is favored to win the Cotton Bowl between Ohio State and Missouri? Head-to-head, records and more

The Cotton Bowl comes up on Saturday, Dec. 30, with Ohio State and Missouri fighting to claim the ultimate prize. The Buckeyes and Tigers have both had impressive seasons and are looking to deliver post-season bowl excitement to their fans. Having fallen short of delivering the bragging rights of their respective conference titles to their fans, expectations are high for both teams.

It is the first time in a decade that the Tigers will be featured in a New Year's Six Bowl. It is also the first meeting between the sides since 1998. The Buckeyes will be making their third appearance in the bowl, having won the 1987 game against Texas A&M and beating Southern California in 2017. So Saturday's matchup is a game with a lot to offer.

Who is favored to win the Cotton Bowl?

The Ohio State Buckeyes are the more favored side to win the contest against Missouri according to multiple predictors. A BetMGM staff writer, for instance, favors the Buckeyes to win with 59.1% confidence. The ESPN Matchup Predictor also gives the Buckeyes a 75.5% chance of being the better side against Missouri. The Buckeyes were also picked by the Bleacher Nation Staff to win and score over 49 points in the game.

UPDATE: According to the lates odds, Ohio State is now a 75.9% favorite to win the game with sportsbook favoring the Buckeyes are favored by 5 points and the O/U for the game is set at 50.5 points.

Who is calling the Cotton Bowl?

The broadcast team for the bowl game between Ohio State and Missouri on Dec. 30 will consist of Dave Pasch, handling the play-by-play commentary. Dusty Dvoracek will present the analysis while Tom Luginbill will be reporting live from the sideline.

Will the Cotton Bowl be televised on ABC?

The bowl game will be exclusively broadcast on live TV on ESPN. Viewers can see the game on streaming platforms such as YouTubeTV, Hulu Live and Fubo TV, as well as the ESPN app.

Ohio State vs. Missouri: Head-to-head

The head-to-head record between the Buckeyes and Tigers heavily favors the Buckeyes. The two sides have met a total of 12 times, the last of their meetings going far back as 1998. Ohio State has won 10 of these matchups, and Missouri has won just one while one ended in a tie.

Who will start for Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl?

Ohio State starting quarterback Kyle McCord transferred to Syracuse after the regular season. This leaves the Buckeyes with backup quarterback Devin Brown to start in the Cotton Bowl. Marvin Harrison Jr. will be a part of the starting lineup after an impressive record of 67 receptions for 1,211 yards and 14 touchdowns in the regular season.

UPDATE: As of this writing, Marvin Harrison Jr's status for the game is unclear, as the star wideout hasn't taken part in practice for the last two days.

Who will start for Missouri in the Cotton Bowl?

Brady Cook will be Missouri's starting quarterback against Ohio State, having ended the season with 3,189 passing yards for 20 touchdowns. He will be supported by running back, Cody Schrader who rushed for 1,625 yards and 13 touchdowns during the season.