Ryan Day

Top wide receiver prospect Emeka Egbuka announced Friday he has committed to the Ohio State Buckeyes.

https://twitter.com/emeka_egbuka/status/1337564588846399488

The 5-star recruit is considered the No. 1 wideout and the ninth-best player overall in the 2021 class, according to 247Sports composite rankings.

Egbuka has excellent speed, running a 40-yard dash in 4.42 seconds at the All-American Combine in 2019. The 6'1", 190-pound player can make an impact in several other ways, including his ability to score from nearly anywhere in the field and win 50-50 balls in the air.

The Steilacoom product from Washington has produced incredible numbers at the high school level the past three years, totaling 199 catches for 3,907 yards and 61 touchdowns. He had at least 23 touchdown receptions as both a sophomore and junior in high school.

Egbuka has also excelled as a defensive back, although he will most likely play on offense for Ohio State.

He caught the attention of nearly the entire college football landscape, getting dozens of scholarship offers from some of the top programs in the country. He eventually narrowed his decision down to Clemson, Ohio State, Oklahoma and Washington.

Egbuka eventually picked the Buckeyes, giving the team another elite weapon offensively and getting a chance to contend at a national level. 

"I have a great relationship with the entire coaching staff, and they develop wide receivers really well," he said in May, per Brandon Huffman of 247Sports. "I talk with all the Ohio State coaches, but especially coach (Brian) Hartline and coach (Ryan) Day."

He also called Hartline "one of my favorite coaches."

The Buckeyes' development of recent receivers like Michael Thomas, Terry McLaurin and Parris Campbell likely also helped.

Egbuka should have an opportunity for early playing time with Ohio State as he tries to live up to his lofty expectations. 

The only Big Ten team to actually win all its games on the field is going to the conference championship game, and its head coach is "appreciative" of the opportunity. 

After the Big Ten announced its members voted to change the one-year rule put in place before a shortened 2020 season requiring a team to play six games to be eligible for the title game, Ohio State head coach Ryan Day released a statement saying he is "appreciative of our Big Ten Conference colleagues for reconsidering."

Nicole Auerbach of The Athletic shared the statement:

https://twitter.com/NicoleAuerbach/status/1336814745350004736

The Buckeyes are 5-0 and have a head-to-head victory over Indiana, which is the second-place team in the Big Ten East. However, they fell short of six games because contests against Maryland, Illinois and Michigan were all canceled because of COVID-19 outbreaks.

The conference ultimately recognized that if Ohio State played and lost to Michigan this coming Saturday it would still have qualified for the title game, so it decided not to punish the Buckeyes for not playing the game at all.

In essence, Day's team would have been better off playing and losing to the Wolverines than not playing at all under the six-game rule, at least in terms of its Big Ten championship chances.

This means the Buckeyes will play Northwestern in a rematch of the 2018 Big Ten title game. The Scarlet and Gray won that matchup 45-24 and have won the last three conference crowns.

Indiana Vice President and Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Scott Dolson released a statement saying he and head coach Tom Allen are "disappointed" the Hoosiers were left out of the title game but recognized "we had a chance to earn our spot ... but ultimately fell a touchdown short on the road against a great Ohio State team."

IU Vice President & Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Scott Dolson Statement… pic.twitter.com/ByOMRiS75B

— Indiana Football (@IndianaFootball) December 9, 2020

That game between Ohio State and Indiana was one of the most entertaining ones of the season, as the powerhouse Buckeyes went ahead 35-7 before the Hoosiers dramatically closed the gap in a 42-35 final. 

The biggest question now is whether the Buckeyes can reach the College Football Playoff, which does not have a minimum-game requirement.

They are in playoff position at No. 4 in the rankings, and they likely will make the CFP with a win over Northwestern unless Florida upset Alabama in the SEC Championship Game and set up a realistic scenario where two SEC teams would be in the four-team field.

Ohio State head coach Ryan Day rejoined the Buckeyes on Monday after spending 10 days isolation following a positive test for COVID-19, per Heather Dinich of ESPN.

That means Day will be back on the sidelines for this weekend's rivalry game vs. Michigan, though that contest is in question because of coronavirus concerns within the Wolverines program.

Michigan canceled its last game against Maryland and halted football activities last week after registering at least a dozen positive tests for COVID-19, per Dinich. 

The 5-0 Buckeyes are 30-point favorites in the contest against 2-4 Michigan, though winning the game might be the secondary goal to simply playing it, since Ohio State won't qualify for the Big Ten title game if they don't play six total games this season. Michigan is the last contest on Ohio State's schedule. 

Granted, Ohio State's chances of reaching the College Football Playoff this year might not be tethered to a berth in the Big Ten title game, given the strange nature of this season amidst a pandemic. But it would rob them of a chance to win a conference title. 

"We hope to play as we hope to play every game this year," Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel said last week, per Tom VanHaaren of ESPN. "Any time in our league that has stopped thus far had the goal of playing every game this year. It is disheartening that we are not going to be able to play Maryland. Our hope is that we can play Ohio State and finish the season in the final week."

It would certainly be a strange college football season if Ohio State and Michigan didn't play, which remains a possibility. 

Ohio State head coach Ryan Day is optimistic about the team after their COVID-19 outbreak last week.

Speaking to reporters on Zoom after the Buckeyes' 52-12 win over Michigan State, Day said he hopes "the worst part's behind us."

Day was unable to coach Ohio State on Saturday as he continues to self-isolate after testing positive for the coronavirus on Nov. 27. He will be eligible to return to the program on Monday, as long as he tests negative and doesn't have any symptoms.

The Buckeyes' outbreak caused their scheduled game against Illinois on Nov. 28 to be canceled.

"We have continued to experience an increase in positive tests over the course of this week," Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith said in a statement. "The health, safety and well-being of our student-athlete is our main concern, and our decisions on their welfare will continue to be guided by our medical staff."

Day noted that the program has "been excellent" with its COVID-19 protocols and handling of the situation before having "this one mini outbreak that was hard."

ESPN's Adam Rittenberg noted Ohio State didn't have 23 players available against Michigan State, including four starters, but conference protocols don't allow teams to list a specific reason for their absence.

Big Ten rules also require that any players who test positive must sit out for 21 days.

The Buckeyes' victory over the Spartans moved their 2020 record to 5-0 with one game remaining. They are scheduled to host Michigan on Dec. 12, but it's unclear at this point if the game will be played.

The Wolverines had to pause football activities this week, including canceling Saturday's matchup with Maryland, because of increased coronavirus cases in the program.

Ohio State must play six games to qualify for the Big Ten Championship Game. The fourth-ranked Buckeyes will still be eligible for a potential spot in the College Football Playoff, regardless of what happens in the conference.

The first weekend in December is typically reserved for the top teams in college football solidifying their College Football Playoff resumes with conference championship game wins. 

With the title games pushed back to December 19, two undefeated Group of Five teams will steal the spotlight on Saturday. 

The BYU Cougars and Coastal Carolina Chanticleers are nowhere close to the top programs in the CFB Playoff rankings, but the victor of the clash in Conway, South Carolina, should make a push toward securing a New Year's Six bowl berth. 

BYU's trip to the southeast is one of two Top 25 matchups in Week 14, which means it will take a few upsets to cause a seismic shift in the rankings. 

             

College Football Playoff Rankings

1. Alabama (8-0)

2. Notre Dame (9-0)

3. Clemson (8-1)

4. Ohio State (4-0)

5. Texas A&M (6-1)

6. Florida (7-1)

7. Cincinnati (8-0)

8. Georgia (6-2)

9. Iowa State (7-2)

10. Miami (7-1)

11. Oklahoma (6-2)

12. Indiana (5-1)

13. BYU (9-0)

14. Northwestern (5-1)

15. Oklahoma State (6-2)

16. Wisconsin (2-1)

17. North Carolina (6-3)

18. Coastal Carolina (9-0)

19. Iowa (4-2)

20. USC (3-0)

21. Marshall (7-0)

22. Washington (3-0)

23. Oregon (3-1)

24. Tulsa (5-1)

25. Louisiana (8-1)

     

In most seasons, the BYU-Coastal Carolina clash would be viewed as the Group of Five championship.

However, they are fighting to be the second-best team of that designation since the Cincinnati Bearcats sit at No. 7. 

If Cincinnati wins the American Athletic Conference, it should be invited to a New Year's Six bowl and could sneak into the playoff if a few results go in its favor. 

BYU and Coastal Carolina both have one more victory than the Bearcats, but neither team has a tougher schedule than the seventh-ranked side. 

Playing each other in a matchup that was made within days of kickoff will only help the profile of both programs.

If BYU comes out on top, it should inch closer to a potential New Year's Six berth. A loss by the Indiana Hoosiers to the Wisconsin Badgers would bolster its chances. 

Coastal Carolina needs more help to reach a New Year's Six game if it defends its home soil. The Chanticleers have a single win over a Top 25 team and could beat the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns for the second time in the Sun Belt Championship Game. 

Since the playoff committee does not value Group of Five teams as much as Power Five programs, Coastal may have a fight on its hands to jump six-to-eight spots to secure an at-large berth in one of the most prestigious postseason games. 

With a victory, Jamey Chadwell's squad would move up at least two spots over BYU and the Indiana-Wisconsin loser, but it would require extra help in the next two weeks to surge over a handful of potential conference championship game participants. 

If the Oklahoma Sooners and Northwestern Wildcats qualify and lose for their respective league title tilts, the path will be clearer for the Chanticleers. 

A handful of other upsets to Top 15 programs would further help Coastal's NY6 case, but for now, all it has to focus on is beating BYU. 

The top teams in the FBS share the common focus of defeating their Week 14 opponent before moving on to bigger aspirations. 

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish and Clemson Tigers have one more chance to refine their on-field skills on Saturday after the ACC readjusted the league schedule to have the two teams and the Miami Hurricanes finish with the same amount of games played. 

The Alabama Crimson Tide will use the LSU Tigers as their final tune-up prior to the SEC Championship Game, while the Florida Gators have two matchups to finish the regular season, starting with a visit to the Tennessee Volunteers. 

Over in the Big Ten, the fourth-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes are back on the field to play the Michigan State Spartans. Ryan Day's team needs to play its final two games to meet the threshold to qualify for the Big Ten Championship Game. 

A win on the road by Ohio State would keep the same top four in place ahead of Week 15, which is the final week before conference championship weekend. 

If the top teams win the contests they are expected to, December 19 will be the next game day in which extreme poll movement is triggered. 

                  

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90

Ohio State's Ryan Day will not coach in Saturday's scheduled game against Michigan State after he tested positive for COVID-19 last week.

A school spokesperson told Heather Dinich of ESPN that Day cannot return to the team until Monday because of CDC protocols.

Associate head coach Larry Johnson will take over for Day if the Buckeyes play. The school was forced to cancel last week's game against Illinois amid positive tests within the program. If Ohio State cancels another contest this season, the program will be ineligible for the Big Ten title game.

Ohio State was ranked fourth in the initial College Football Playoff Top 25. The Buckeyes could be in danger of missing the playoffs if they are ineligible for the Big Ten championship. The CFP emphasizes rewarding the champions of Power Five conferences. However, given the unprecedented nature of the 2020 season, the committee will have to consider an uneven schedule landscape when deciding who plays for the national championship. 

If Ohio State only plays four or five regular-season games, the committee may favor a team with a more complete resume—even if that team has one or two losses. A one-loss Florida or Texas A&M team could play double the amount of games as Ohio State by the end of the regular season.

Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith said in a statement last week that Day is "doing well physically." It is unknown if the coach, who was a staunch advocate for playing this season despite the pandemic, is experiencing any symptoms.