Ohio State is set to have its full complement of starters – outside one already confirmed as injured – when it plays Miami in the College Football Playoff.
Right guard Tegra Tshabola is out in the Cotton Bowl after being listed as doubtful all week, but all of its other starters are available for Wednesday's game.
| OSU STATUS REPORT FOR MIAMI |
|---|
| Out |
|
DE Logan George S Malik Hartford QB Mason Maggs WR Quincy Porter RG Tegra Tshabola DT Ahmed Tounkara |
Tshabola has 29 career starts for Ohio State, including all of its games from the last two seasons, but could have been replaced by either Gabe VanSickle or Joshua Padilla after struggling in the Big Ten Championship Game vs. Indiana, pending a competition. Ryan Day confirmed previously that Tshabola is sidelined by injury and likely to miss at least the CFP quarterfinals. VanSickle is expected to start the Cotton Bowl with Padilla rotating in.
Tshabola was fully dressed during the portions of Ohio State practice open to the media on Friday and Monday. He told Eleven Warriors on Monday that he was “really confident” he’d be able to return if Ohio State advances to the later rounds of the College Football Playoff, but that he was confident VanSickle and Padilla will step up in his absence vs. Miami.
“I'm really confident. I've been hitting rehab really hard,” Tshabola said. “But I'm more confident in the guys that are gonna be playing this upcoming game.”
Beyond Tshabola, the most notable name on Ohio State's first injury report of the week was defensive tackle Will Smith Jr., the Buckeyes' backup nose guard behind unanimous All-American Kayden McDonald. Smith was listed as probable for the game against Miami on Sunday, but is set to be available per the final availability report.
Five other Buckeyes listed as probable on Sunday – De’Zie Jones, Anthony Rogers, Deshawn Stewart, Cody Haddad and Devontae Armstrong – were also removed from the injury report on Monday. The only player added to the status report on Monday was walk-on receiver Shawn Lodge, who was listed as questionable, but he was no longer on the injury report as of Tuesday.
Freshman wide receiver Quincy Porter remains out after missing the final two games of Ohio State's regular season and the Big Ten title game. Backup safety Malik Hartford, defensive end Logan George and walk-on quarterback Mason Maggs also remain out after missing the end of the regular season.
The Buckeyes kick off vs. the Hurricanes at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday for the CFP quarterfinals at the Cotton Bowl.
Miami has four players listed as out: Defensive back Damari Brown, linebacker Malik Bryant, wide receiver Daylyn Upshaw and defensive lineman Donta Simpson. Brown is the most notable absence, as he has started five games for the Hurricanes at cornerback this season.
