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WEATHER ALERT

RYAN DAY

COVID-19 shadows title game as college football season ends

From start to finish, the specter of COVID-19 loomed large over the 2020 college football season and the national championship game was no exception. The game, played in the Miami Dolphins’ stadium, drew the sort of turnout typically found in the fourth quarter of an NFL preseason game. But the challenges college football faced in navigating the pandemic were unique. The Pac-12 and Big Ten postponed their seasons before reversing course, and Ohio State played only eight games. It was a made-for-TV season that ends with an asterisk, and college football now looks toward the 2021 season, which is a big question mark.

Bama's Waddle back practicing, status for title game unclear

Now the question is will he be able to play in the title game Monday night against Ohio State? “I think you absolutely have to prepare as if he's going to play,” Ohio State defensive coordinator Kerry Coombs said. Ohio State President Kristina M. Johnson posted photos on Twitter showing her visiting with coach Ryan Day and the team in the school's indoor practice facility. WEST COAST EXPORTSThe West Coast will be well represented in the national championship game among the players, if not the football programs themselves. Alabama All-America tailback Najee Harris, Ohio State wide receiver Chris Olave and Buckeyes All-America guard Wyatt Davis are all from California.

Reported virus issues at Ohio St raise specter of CFP delay

Ohio State won 49-28. 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. 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. Ohio State played its final regular-season game and the Big Ten championship game missing more than 20 players for each.

Ohio State coach Day expects QB Fields to play vs Alabama

Ohio State head coach Ryan Day hugs quarterback Justin Fields after their win against Clemson in the Sugar Bowl NCAA college football game Friday, Jan. 1, 2021, in New Orleans. Ohio State won 49-28. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)Ohio State coach Ryan Day says he expects Justin Fields to play in the College Football Playoff national championship game against Alabama after the quarterback was banged up during the semifinals. Fields missed only one play and finished with six touchdown passes in Ohio State’s 49-28 victory. Buckeyes running back Trey Sermon took Fields' place on the call.

Fields' day: No. 3 Ohio State routs No. 2 Clemson 49-28

Ohio State won 49-28. 11, where Clemson coach Dabo Swinney placed Ohio State on his ballot in the final regular-season coaches' poll. Ohio State beat the Crimson Tide in the semifinals on the way to the 2014 national championship. “This performance by this team I hope will go down in Ohio State history as a landmark victory,” Day said. Ohio State did not give details about their absences, but all four had played in the Big Ten championship two weeks ago.

Coastal Carolina's Jamey Chadwell is AP coach of the year

FILE - In this Oct. 31, 2020, file photo, Coastal Carolina coach Jamey Chadwell waits to lead his team onto the field for an NCAA football game against Georgia State in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Amis, File)Coastal Carolina’s Jamey Chadwell is The Associated Press college football coach of the year after leading the Chanticleers to a surprising, near-perfect season. UCF’s Scott Frost was AP coach of the year in 2017 and Gary Patterson won the first of his two AP awards with TCU in 2009 when the Horned Frogs were competing in the Mountain West. Chadwell came to Coastal Carolina in 2017 as offensive coordinator for former coach Joe Moglia after four successful season at FCS Charleston Southern. ___VotingJamey Chadwell, Coastal Carolina - 88 points (16 first-place votes).

Clemson and Ohio State get CFP rematch in Sugar Bowl

(AP Photo/Darron Cummings)COLUMBUS, Ohio – Shortened schedule and all, Ohio State is headed back to the College Football Playoff and a familiar foe will be waiting. Barta, the Iowa athletic director, said “there was no dissension in the room” over putting Ohio State in. Clemson coach Dabo Sweeney said he wasn't surprised Ohio State got in with fewer games “because that’s what the committee has demonstrated over the past few weeks. We all know Ohio State is an incredibly talented team.”The loss to Clemson in the playoff last year landed hard and lingered for the Buckeyes, Ohio State coach Ryan Day said on ESPN. It'll be different this time with less than two weeks between the conference championship game and the semifinal.

CFP: Alabama-Notre Dame, Clemson-Ohio St as Aggies left out

Notre Dame was picked Sunday over Texas A&M for the final spot, ending what little drama there had been. Alabama, Notre Dame, Clemson and Ohio State have also held the first four spots in the AP Top 25 since Oct. 25. The Atlantic Coast Conference is the second league to have two teams in the playoff, joining the SEC in 2017. After sitting second in the CFP rankings for a month, Notre Dame was blown out 34-10 by Clemson in the ACC championship. Barta said the disparate number of games played by contenders — along with far fewer cross-conference games than usual —- was a challenge for the committee all season.

The Latest: 8 German players test positive at world juniors

The IIHF also said two members of Sweden’s team staff tested positive. The team said those who tested positive have been isolated and others in the program have been placed in quarantine. The network did not say if Michaels had tested positive or had been in contact with someone who had tested positive. The Huskies said in a statement that no one from their program was in close contact with the individual who tested positive at Seton Hall. Ferentz is the 23rd FBS coach to reveal publicly that he tested positive for the virus.

Bama, Ohio St add 5-stars while preparing for champ games

“I could be here all day talking about how different this is,” Ohio State coach Ryan Day said on the Big Ten Network. As of late Wednesday afternoon, Alabama had signed five of them and was expected to land at least one more. Even with the coach's future still to be determined, day signing was OK for the Wolverines. On the positive side for the Wolverines on signing day: In-state running back Donovan Edwards, a four-star, signed with Michigan. Smith had indicated his final decision would come down to a choice between LSU, Alabama, Georgia and Miami.

Michigan cancels Ohio State showdown, citing COVID-19 cases

Michigan canceled its annual rivalry game at Ohio State on Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2020, because of the COVID-19 outbreak within the Wolverines football program. “Our players, they want to play,” Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh said. “If you’re just looking at college football, how can you have a successful football season without Ohio State-Michigan. Ohio State entered the day No. Ohio State guard Wyatt Davis said the team works all year with the goal of beating Michigan.

No. 3 Buckeyes await word on 'The Game' with plenty at stake

3 Ohio State banked some style points during its rout of Michigan State, but the next step toward any kind of championship for the Buckeyes this season could be out of their control. Ohio State has had its own problems with the coronavirus. Among those taken out of action was coach Ryan Day, who had to stay home and watch the Michigan State game on TV. So would another loss to the Buckeyes, who have won the rivalry game in each of Harbaugh's first five years at Michigan. Day said he was proud of how the Buckeyes moved past the rough, uncertain week to dominate Michigan State.

No. 3 Ohio State has no problem with Spartans in 52-12 win

3 Ohio State to a 52-12 win over Michigan State on Saturday. Defensive line coach Larry Johnson coached Ohio State in Day's absence. Michigan State (2-4, 2-4) was coming off a win over another undefeated team — Northwestern — but the Spartans were overmatched Saturday. They punted on fourth-and-1 in the first quarter — and again on fourth down in Ohio State territory early in the third. Michigan State wraps up the regular season at Penn State.

Week 14: Ohio State returns and BYU-Coastal square off

Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields throws a pass against Indiana during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 21, 2020, in Columbus, Ohio. 3 Ohio State is playing as much as who will be play playing for the Buckeyes this weekend. Ohio State seems to be on track to play at Michigan State on Saturday after a spike in COVID-19 cases in the program forced a cancellation of last week's road trip to Illinois. If Ohio State has one more game canceled it would be unable to meet the Big Ten's minimum game played to be eligible for the conference title game. UNDER THE RADARNebraska at PurdueNeither team is in the Big West race, but the interesting thing is the Boilermakers (2-3) have won two straight against the Cornhuskers (1-4).

Fields throws 5 TDs passes, No. 3 Ohio State beats Rutgers

Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields throws a pass against Rutgers during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 7, 2020, in Columbus, Ohio. Fields threw two touchdown passes to Chris Olave, with Jameson Williams, Garrett Wilson and Jeremy Ruckert also recipients of scoring passes. Wilson caught six passes for 104 yards for Ohio State, and Fields completed passes to nine receivers. They battled Ohio State but couldn't climb out of the hole they dug early. Ohio State: The Buckeyes were sloppy and got stuck in the mud at times, but Fields can make things happen.

Nightmare scenario: What happens when outbreak hits QB room?

What happens if an outbreak hits a team’s quarterback room? “Obviously this year there’s some things that will be unique,” Wisconsin coach Paul Chryst said Monday without specifically discussing his players’ test results. “I think there certainly were those questions after the decision was made,” Ohio State team physician Jim Borchers said last week. And that’s all we really paid attention to.”Big Ten protocols say that athletes who test positive through point-of-contact daily testing must take a polymerase chain reaction test to confirm the first result. While Wisconsin awaits answers, Big Ten teams continue reminding quarterbacks about the potential risks inherent in this unusual season.

AP source: Big Ten working on multiple options for football

Big Ten coaches, athletic directors and medical personnel are working on multiple plans for staging a football season including one that would have the league kicking off as soon as Thanksgiving weekend. The person spoke Friday on condition of anonymity because the Big Ten was not making public its efforts to have a football season that starts in either late fall or winter. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel first reported the Big Ten was considering a possible Thanksgiving start to the season. The Big Ten announced on Aug. 11 it was postponing its fall football season because of concerns about playing during the COVID-19 pandemic. If they are met, thats when theyll get back, the person told AP.