The Ohio State Buckeyes entered the 2022 Rose Bowl against Utah with questions surrounding their offense after star wide receivers Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson opted out of the game to focus on the NFL Draft.
The result ended up being the emergence of a new wave of stars as future first-round NFL Draft pick and Rockwall native Jaxon Smith-Njigba put up over 300 receiving yards with three touchdown catches, and fellow wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. added three more scores in a game that saw the teams combine for more than 1,100 yards of offense.
Now, two seasons later, the Buckeyes enter the 88th Cotton Bowl Classic in a similar situation as Julian Fleming is in the transfer portal, and Harrison Jr.’s status for the game is in question due to not practicing all week.
That leaves opportunities for younger receivers, like freshmen Carnell Tate and Brandon Inniss, to showcase their talent on a big stage.
“What we do with those opportunities ultimately dictates the way our career is going to go,” Ohio State offensive coordinator Brian Hartline, a former Buckeye receiver himself, told the media on Wednesday. “That’s the great thing about sports. A couple of guys that would be in different roles, a couple of guys that have different opportunities, and I hope a lot of guys get to play. … Everything’s been earned, but the whole room, in general, I think is excited, and I’m excited to see some of these guys get different opportunities that maybe they haven’t gotten through the year.”
Of course, the most significant change on everyone’s mind is at quarterback, where sophomore Devin Brown takes over for starter Kyle McCord, who transferred to Syracuse after the regular season.
“I think, mentally, it’s a little bit different, but I feel like the approach is still the same since it’s been week one,” Brown explained. “I’ve always felt like I was a starter ready to go at every moment. … College football is wild. You cannot predict anything, that’s for sure, but I’m just super excited, and I can’t wait.”
Brown has played in five games this season and completed 12 passes. He was a highly recruited player out of high school, and the Buckeyes have plenty of confidence in him after two years in their offense.
“Devin’s doing a great job,” Hartline said. “Obviously, he’s in a different role currently than he maybe has been all year — coming back and also getting a little dinged up during the middle of the season. He was gaining a lot of momentum through the season, but he’s having a great bowl [prep], and we’re excited that he’s out there. He brings a lot of good energy to practice, the guys are excited to have him run the show, and Devin has done a great job preparing for this game. He knows the importance, and his work has resembled that.”
Brown also shares a connection with a Texas football legend. He wears No.33 in honor of Pro Football Hall of Famer and former TCU standout quarterback Sammy Baugh, the MVP of the first Cotton Bowl, making this start even more interesting.
“What an experience this is going to be for me,” Brown said, “and a pretty cool story to go along with that.”
