With bowl season comes opt-outs, transfer portal news, and injured players trying to get back on the field. We’ve already gotten word on OSU players that have entered the transfer portal and will be unavailable for the Cotton Bowl, and that goes with another key defender that won’t quite be ready to come back from injury.
However, on the opposite sideline, the Missouri Tigers also have to figure out who can suit up, and at least on the defensive side of the ball, they will be without two key starters. According to head coach, Eliah Drinkwitz, Missouri linebacker Ty’Ron Hopper and cornerback Ennis Rakestraw Jr. will both miss the game because of injury next week. It was confirmed at the head coach’s Cotton Bowl arrival press conference on Saturday.
Hopper has been out since Nov. 11 when he suffered an ankle sprain against Tennessee. He was Butkus Award finalist and still ranks second on the team in total tackles with 55, including three sacks and six tackles for loss.
Rakestraw has been dealing with an on again off again groin injury but is considered one of the top cornerback’s in the upcoming NFL draft. He too will be unable to go.
Source: Two Missouri star defenders — CB Ennis Rakestraw and LB Ty’Ron Hopper — will not play in the Cotton Bowl against Ohio State because of the injuries that slowed them late in the season.
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) December 23, 2023
Those two will join experienced and talented linebacker Chad Bailey, who has been out with an abdominal injury since early November. Besides those injury notes, Mizzou is expected to have most of its other top players ready to go for what it no doubt considers a massive game for the program.
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