Amid reports of positive COVID-19 tests on the team, Ohio State is keeping the health of its players close to the vest.
The football team typically releases a status report to detail who will and will not play in the weekend's game at 10 a.m. Fridays. It has followed that schedule every week since implementing the report at the beginning of the 2019 season. However, a team spokesperson said Friday that the Buckeyes have decided to not release this week's status report until two hours before kickoff of Saturday's game at Illinois.
Ohio State has declined to comment on all stories about positive coronavirus tests.
Any Ohio State players who test positive for COVID-19 – and have their result confirmed by a PCR test – would have to sit out for 21 days, meaning they'd miss the remainder of the regular season.
The game was originally reported to potentially be in jeopardy on Wednesday due to an increased number of positive COVID-19 tests. That day, the Buckeyes went through a walk-through, and on Thursday they practiced to continue getting ready for the upcoming showdown in Champaign, Illinois, before eating a Thanksgiving meal together.
Ohio State-Illinois kicks off at noon Saturday and will be broadcast on FOX Sports 1.
