Benjamin Hochman The “the.” That’s Ohio State’s shtick — saying “THE Ohio State University.” You hear it from former Buckeyes during player self-introductions on NFL night games. It’s all rather obnoxious. But it’s also emphatic and confident and uniting. We matter. We are proud. We are, after all, THE Ohio State University. Well, this year, the University of Missouri is earning its “the.” This isn’t to say it’s something the Tigers will start to say. But after a 10-win season, Mizzou has netted something extremely valuable in college sports: swagger. Mizzou players (and their fans) can say the school’s name with an unwavering assuredness, loud and proud. Because after almost a decade of Southeastern Conference irrelevancy, Mizzou now matters. People are also reading… OK, now go demonstrate that and beat the Ohio State University. “We’re playing against the biggest brand college football has,” Tigers quarterback Brady Cook said by phone…
Continue Reading: Hochman: The Ohio State University? The ideal opponent for Mizzou’s Tigers to maul in Cotton Bowl
