Ad Disclosure
Chris Olave’s status for Sugar Bowl announced during College GameDay
Published:
Ohio State receiver Chris Olave will be eligible to play vs. Clemson in the Sugar Bowl on Friday night.
Olave missed the Big Ten Championship Game after Ohio State was forced to put him on the COVID-19 list. He hasn’t played since Dec. 5, when he caught 10 passes for 139 yards against Michigan State.
Olave’s return to action will, in theory, significantly help Ohio State’s passing game. However, it remains to be seen how involved he’ll be in the offense.
Buckeyes coach Ryan Day told ESPN’s Maria Taylor that his practice time was limited this week.
“Chris Olave is back on the travel roster and off the COVID list,” Taylor reported. “But I spoke with Ryan Day and he said he wasn’t able to practice fully. They took him to 20 percent on Sunday when he first came back to practice, got him to 50 percent and then 70 percent of his reps.”
Olave and Garrett Wilson combined to make up perhaps the most dynamic receiver duo in the country this season. Despite only playing five games, Olave caught 36 passes for 528 yards and five touchdowns.
The Buckeyes scored just 22 points in the Big Ten Championship Game in Olave’s absence, and most of that was created by the Ohio State defense and running game.
If Olave can be something close to full speed against Clemson on Friday night, it could have a big impact.
Kick off is at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN.
Spenser is the news manager at Saturday Road and covers college football across all Saturday Football brands.