Devin Brown is looking forward to taking over as the QB1 at Ohio State when the Buckeyes face Missouri in the Cotton Bowl, and he knows that Kyle McCord's decision to enter the transfer portal is a great opportunity for him to become Ohio State's starting quarterback.

Brown spent most of the season backing up McCord as the Buckeyes went 11-1 during the 2023 season. The only loss was their third straight to archrival Michigan, and after falling 30-24 to the Wolverines, head coach Ryan Day let McCord know that he was not guaranteed to start during the 2024 season.

Apparently, McCord decided he could not take the chance of falling out of the lineup, and it appears he will be leaving Columbus.

Brown and McCord competed for the starting quarterback throughout the offseason and McCord was named the starter prior to Ohio State's season opener against Indiana. As a result, Brown did not see much action, seeing the field only on  a fill-in basis. He has completed 12 of 22 passes for 197 yards with 2 touchdowns and 1 interception as he prepares to play against Missouri .

He is thrilled to get the start in the December 29 bowl game. “I'm pumped. I mean, I can't believe my first start’s going to be in the Cotton Bowl,” Devin Brown said. “It's a big stage against a really good team. It's a top-10 matchup. And I'm just excited to go out there and show what I can do.”

The Buckeyes are listed as 6.5-point favorites over the Missouri Tigers (10-2). Missouri finished the season on a 3-game winning streak and finished in second place in the SEC East.