The Ohio State Buckeyes are listed as one of the favorites to make it to the College Football Playoff, even after a disappointing loss on the road to Oregon a week and a half ago. However, the latest news from Buckeyes coach Ryan Day is not ideal looking towards the remainder of 2024.
Day has confirmed that the Buckeyes will be without starting left tackle Josh Simmons for the remainder of the season due to a knee injury. Simmons' absence will be a significant blow to the team's offensive line, as he had been a consistent presence and was expected to be one of the first offensive tackles taken in the upcoming 2025 NFL Draft.
When asked about the status of safety Lathan Ransom, Day declined to provide any details. According to reports from Eleven Warriors, Ransom sustained a foot injury during practice last week, leaving his availability for upcoming games uncertain. While Day refrained from confirming whether Ransom would miss playing time, he did mention that either Jaylen McClain or Malik Hartford could step in if necessary.
In more positive news, Day shared that running back Quinshon Judkins, who recently underwent a minor hand procedure, is "feeling better" and is expected to play this week. The hand injury, which occurred before the Oregon game, had some worried, but Day assured that it wasn’t a contributing factor to Judkins’ earlier fumble.
Will Simmons' absence affect Ohio State's playoff chances?
Ohio State is one of the most talented teams in the country, but there is reason for concern without Simmons being available. Zen Michalski came in to replace Simmons when went down the injury in Autzen, but the veteran struggled against Oregon's pass-rush.
According to PFF, he recorded an abysmal 47.6 PFF grade, which was the lowest of any player for the Buckeyes in that outing.
That being said, Ohio State will not face a pass-rush on the same level of Oregon this season. The Buckeyes will play Nebraska at home this weekend before making the trip to Happy Valley to take on Penn State. After that road matchup, Ohio State will have Purdue and Northwestern before closing out the year with Indiana and Michigan.
While there is certainly potential for a loss in a couple of those remaining names — namely Penn State and Indiana — Ohio State will still be the favorite in each of those matchups. Overall, we wouldn't expect this to diminish the Buckeyes' playoff chances or National Championship aspirations all that much, but it's worth at least keeping on your radar over the next few weeks.