The No. 3 Ohio State will be without two starters and several other key reserves against No. 2 Clemson in Friday’s semifinal in the College Football Playoff at the Allstate Sugar Bowl in New Orleans.
According to the team’s availability report, starting guard Harry Miller and returning Master Teague III are out. Defensive end Zach Harrison, who has two sacks and 4.5 tackles to lose in a reserve role, will also miss the game, as will defensive lineman Tyler Friday.
Clemson announced that defensive end Xavier Thomas will miss the game. Thomas was on “protocols,” coach Dabo Swinney said earlier in the week. Thomas, who was diagnosed with COVID-19 in the spring, has 3.5 sacks and four bouts to lose in seven games (one start).
Teague started each of Ohio State’s first six games, while Miller started all but Michigan State. Teague leads Ohio State in both runs (89) and touchdowns (6), though Trey Sermon has recently emerged with 443 running yards in his last two games, including a 331 team record against Northwestern in the Big Ten championship game. The first year Miyan Williams will likely see increased action behind Sermon against Clemson.
Ohio State does not list the reasons for player absences, although several Buckeyes who appeared in previous availability reports confirmed that they had tested positive for COVID-19. Receiver Chris Olave, starting striker Baron Browning and top scorer Drue Chrisman, who missed the Big Ten championship game against Northwestern, did not appear in Friday’s report and are expected to play there.
Olave has 36 receptions for 528 yards and five touchdowns, while Browning ranks third on the team with 23 attacks, and has a forced rebound and a rebound.
Security Ronnie Hickman, who has five tackles this season, will be a time decision for the Ohio State game. Starting quarterback Justin Fields, who injured his thumb in the throwing hand in the Big Ten title game, did not appear in the report.
Clemson finished the COVID-19 tests before traveling to New Orleans. Ohio State, according to Big Ten protocols, went through a final round of testing Friday morning.