Ohio State released its first Big Ten availability report of the season Wednesday night ahead of Saturday’s conference opener against Illinois, ruling out tight end Bennett Christian and two offensive linemen.
Christian, a fifth-year senior who has played the second-most snaps among the Buckeyes’ tight ends, will miss the noon Saturday kickoff at Ohio Stadium, televised by FOX. Offensive linemen Jaxon Powell and Vasean Washington were also listed as out.
Several key contributors were listed as questionable, including starting right tackle Phillip Daniels, defensive end Zion Grady, running back Anthony Rogers, wide receiver Kyle Parker, and offensive lineman Ian Gecse. Daniels and Grady missed last week’s win over Kent State after injuries at Texas.
Neither running back Legend Bey, who tweaked an ankle last week, nor defensive tackle James Smith, who was carted off against the Golden Flashes, appeared on the report, indicating both are expected to play.
Illinois also released its report: wide receiver Alex Perry, tight end Logan Farrell, linebackers Jaylen Stewart and Erik Gayle, and several linemen are out, while defensive back Almirian Thomas and three offensive linemen are questionable.
The Big Ten now requires teams to submit four availability reports per week for conference games, with a final report released two hours before kickoff. Both Ohio State and Illinois enter Saturday at 2-1.
