No disrespect to Arkansas and Oklahoma State, but they aren’t Ohio State. Since Urban Meyer took over the program in 2012 the Buckeyes have lost a combined 16 games. They also have two National Championships in that time, in 20. That ranking has been inside the top 10 in 18 of those 20 seasons. The Buckeyes have finished ranked in the final AP poll in 20 of the last 21 seasons. Then in the 2013 season the Tigers drew a top 15 ranked Oklahoma State team who had whipped Texas, Baylor and Texas Tech (all ranked in the top 25) and spent the entire season ranked in the top 25.īut neither of those two teams hold the weight of Ohio State. In 2008 (the 2007 season), Missouri played an overmatched Arkansas team, but they were also in an SEC where five teams finished in the top 15, so finishing 8-4 with losses to Alabama, Tennessee, and Auburn and a win over top ranked LSU is pretty danged good. Going to the Cotton Bowl means you’re going to play somebody good. But there’s a difference between going to Shreveport or Memphis and going to the Cotton Bowl. It means you beat at least a couple SEC teams, even if one of those wins is over Vanderbilt.
Any year you go to a bowl should be looked at as a positive.
