Devin Brown would get the nod to start the Cotton Bowl for Ohio State against Missouri on Friday night, but an early injury forced Pierre’s Lincoln Kienholz into the game in the second quarter as Ohio State would fall 14-3.
Brown would finish 4-6 passing for 20 yards before leaving the game for good with an ankle injury. However, as Kienholz took the field for the first time in the night, the Buckeyes were pinned back inside their own 10 yard line. Missouri was ready for the run which Ohio State did go with three straight running plays and found no success which resulted in a quick punt. From there, the offense didn’t get much better field position and in total, didn’t find success consistently throughout the night. Kienholz would get three series in the first half with all three starting back in the shadow of the endzone. It wouldn’t be until the second half when Ohio State would get a possession outside the 15 yard line and Kienholz could start to pass and the playbook could start to be opened. Ryan Day, head coach of Ohio State says it was a tough place to be for Kienholz on his first few drives…
Kienholz would finish 6-17 for 86 yards and two yards on six carries. He was pressured all game but Day says he battled his tail off…
Even though he was thrusted into the game for his first real action, Kienholz says the game didn’t feel too fast for him…
Ohio State finishes the season at 11-2 on the season and Kienholz will finish his freshman year playing in three games going 10-22 passing for 111 yards on the season. He is still eligible to redshirt this year
