CHAMPIONSHIP GAME STILL MONDAY, FOR NOW
College Football Playoff Executive Director Bill Hancock said Tuesday the national championship game between Alabama and Ohio State is still a go for Monday night amid a report that the Buckeyes are having COVID-19 issues.
AL.com reported that Ohio State has been in contact with CFP officials about possible player availability problems that could force the game to be delayed. Those discussions were confirmed to The Associated Press by a person with knowledge of the situation who spoke on condition of anonymity because no one had been authorized to speak publicly about the details.
Ohio State Athletic Director Gene Smith said in a statement that the Buckeyes continue to follow the same protocols they have all season. “We plan to play January 11,” Smith said.
Hancock said there were no changes and the game in Miami Gardens, Fla., between the top-ranked Crimson Tide and the third-ranked Buckeyes was still scheduled for Monday night as planned.
Hancock has previously said Jan. 18 is a potential makeup date if necessary.
The pandemic threatened to shut down major college football altogether in the summer, but a season was played through dozens of postponements and cancellations, and with teams getting through games short-handed because of the virus.
About 87 percent of the regular-season Bowl Subdivision schedule was played. For Ohio State, though, it has been an especially bumpy road.
The Big Ten initially canceled the fall football season in August, only to reverse course in September. The conference kicked off in late October but left no room in the nine-week schedule for makeup games.
The Buckeyes had three games called off, two for COVID-19 issues with their opponents and one due to their own problems. Ohio State played its final regular-season game and the Big
Ten championship game missing more than 20 players. Coach Ryan Day tested positive and was not with the team for its game against Michigan State on Dec. 5.
Ohio State’s unavailable players list shrunk last week for the Sugar Bowl against Clemson, and the Buckeyes beat the Tigers 49-28.
Notable
Forida coach Dan Mullen could be on the verge of opting out. One week after insisting he hadn’t even thought about the NFL, there are reports that Mullen might walk away from the Gators, telling NFL teams he’s interested in making the jump to the pros.
• Georgia QB JT Daniels will be returning for another season, while defensive end Malik Herring and center Trey Hill announced on Twitter that they will enter the NFL Draft.
Tennessee CB Bryce Thompson has declared early for the NFL Draft.
• West Virginia QB Austin Kendall, who came on in relief of Jarret Doege in the second half of the Liberty Bowl and threw two touchdown passes, plans to play elsewhere next season.
WR Charleston Rambo is just the latest Oklahoma player to announce he’s entering the transfer portal. Backup QB Tanner Mordecai also said he’s transferring to SMU and third-string QB Chandler Morris announced he’s transferring to TCU.