OSU To Face Missouri In Liberty Bowl

Oklahoma State will face Missouri in the 2018 AutoZone Liberty Bowl, it was announced today. Kickoff is set for 2:45 p.m. Central Time on New Year's Eve at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium in Memphis, Tennessee.
 
This marks the first appearance for OSU in the Liberty Bowl and its first time to play a football game in Memphis since facing William & Mary in the Delta Bowl on Jan. 1, 1949. The bid represents the 13th consecutive season the Cowboys have appeared in a bowl game, marking the longest streak in school history and the ninth-longest active streak in college football.
 
The Cowboys (6-6 overall; 3-6 Big 12) enter the bowl season having beaten two top-10 teams this year and ranking among the Big 12's best teams in terms of total offense, scoring offense, team sacks and team tackles for loss.
 
With wins over Texas, West Virginia and Boise State, Oklahoma State was one of only five teams in the nation with three or more regular-season victories over teams ranked in the final CFP standings.
 
Offensively, the Cowboys ranked in the top 15 in the FBS in scoring offense, total offense and passing offense and were led by Biletnikoff Award finalist Tylan Wallace and first-team All-Big 12 running back Justice Hill. Quarterback Taylor Cornelius went from an unheralded walk-on to finishing the regular season ranked in the top 10 nationally in passing yards, passing touchdowns, points responsible for and total offense.
 
Defensively, Oklahoma State led the Big 12 and ranked seventh nationally in sacks. It also ranked second in the league and 12th in the nation in tackles for loss. Defensive end Jordan Brailford was a first-team All-Big 12 performer who led the league in sacks.
 
Missouri (8-4 overall; 4-4 SEC) enters bowl season ranked No. 23 in the final set of College Football Playoff rankings and on a four-game win streak to close the regular season. The Tigers finished the year tied for fourth place in the SEC East.
 
The series between Oklahoma State and Missouri dates back to 1915, with the teams meeting 52 times in the series. The Cowboys have won three of the past four matchups, with the Tigers winning the last meeting in the Cotton Bowl to close the 2013 season.