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Four starters at Ohio State have opted out of the Rose Bowl. Head coach Ryan Day made the announcement on Monday, according to Joey Kauffman of The Columbus Dispatch.
Day told reporters on Monday that defensive tackle Haskell Garrett, offensive lineman Nicholas Petit-Frere and wide receivers Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson will not play in the Rose Bowl Game on New Year’s Day. All 4 were prominent players for the Buckeyes.
Ohio State will play Utah in the Rose Bowl game after closing the 2021 season with a 10-2 record. It’s the Buckeyes’ second Rose Bowl appearance since 2018 and first under head coach Ryan Day.
Ryan Day said Haskell Garrett, Chris Olave and Nicholas Petit-Frere also won’t play in the Rose Bowl. https://t.co/2PWGMA52VX
— Joey Kaufman (@joeyrkaufman) December 27, 2021
Wilson and Olave made up two-thirds of a three-headed monster at the wide receiver position in Columbus. Wilson ended the season with 1,058 yards and 12 touchdowns on 70 catches in 11 games for the Buckeyes.
Olave hauled in 65 passes for 936 yards and 13 touchdowns during his final year in Columbus. Both are expected to be high selections in the 2022 NFL Draft.
Petit-Frere was a key starter along the offensive line for the Buckeyes and did an excellent job clearing running lanes for TreVeyon Henderson. He also helped protect quarterback CJ Stroud throughout the season.
Haskell Garrett was a force on the defensive interior for the course of the season. Garrett ended the 2021 season with a team-best 5.5 sacks and 7 tackles for loss. He totaled 22 stops.
Ohio State is set to play Utah at 5 p.m. ET in the Rose Bowl.
Dustin grew up in the heart of Big Ten country and has been in sports media since 2010. He has been covering Big Ten football since 2014. You can follow him on Twitter: @SchutteCFB