Buckeyes release first availability report ahead of Cotton Bowl quarterfinal

IRVING, Texas — Ohio State is required to release an availability report Sunday, Monday and Tuesday ahead of the Cotton Bowl quarterfinal by the College Football Playoff. A final report will be released 90 minutes before kickoff on New Year’s Eve, as well.

Well, the first of those four availability reports is now official, and there are no surprises on the report for Ohio State.

A reminder: Players are designated as “available,” “probable,” “questionable,” “doubtful,” or “out” before game day; and as “available,” “game time decision,” or “out” on game day.

Of course, that’s expected. So is the fact that starting right guard Tegra Tshabola, who started all 16 games last season and has started all 13 games this season, will likely miss the Cotton Bowl with an injury. That’s been reported by Lettermen Row for a couple of weeks, and Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day confirmed that Tshabola won’t play in the Cotton Bowl during his last media session.

“We’re going to take it as it goes,” Day said last week, “but it’ll probably be a little while, maybe at least a few weeks anyways.”

And it’s also no surprise that Ohio State superstar receivers Carnell Tate and Jeremiah Smith are both good to go for the Buckeyes. Tate played in each of the last two games for the Buckeyes after missing three games in November, while Smith also played against Michigan and Indiana after missing the Rutgers game before them.

“Just a little adversity, I should say,” Smith said. “Something I never really had to deal with. I don’t really be hurt, nothing like that. Nothing really bothers me. But that was something serious I had to deal with. Um, you know, after that [Rutgers game], I was feeling down. I was like, I don’t know if I’m going to play against That Team Up North, but I was debating if I was going to play or not, because it was really bad on if I was going to be able to play. 

“But I had to do everything for the team, and I wanted to be out there, and I did everything I could. And we got the win.”

Miami’s injury report looks good, with the exception that the Hurricanes have fewer players listed. Miami beat the Aggies 10-3 in a defensive slugfest to reach the Cotton Bowl quarterfinal against the Buckeyes.

Probable for Ohio State

WR De’Zie Jones
RB Anthony Rogers
SAF Deshawn Stewart
SAF Cody Haddad
DL Will Smith Jr.
OL Devontae Armstrong

Doubtful for Buckeyes

DL Ahmed Tounkara
OL Tegra Tshabola

Out for Buckeyes

SAF Malik Hartford
WR Quincy Porter
QB Mason Maggs
DL Logan George