Ohio State-Michigan State to be Played as Scheduled Following COVID-19 Concerns

Ohio State confirmed it will play Michigan State on Saturday following recent COVID-19 concerns within the Buckeyes' program.

On Friday afternoon, Ohio State released a statement saying the team is set to travel to East Lansing on Friday evening to face the Spartans as scheduled.

"We are very confident that we are heading to East Lansing with a team that can safely compete and whose health, safety and well-being has been our utmost concern," team physician Jim Borchers said in a statement. 

"We've tested, monitored and evaluated our results daily and have advised the student-athletes, coaches and performance staff accordingly. Our population positivity rate, which exceeded the threshold for participation at this time last week, has now returned on the seven-day rolling average to a level that allows us to compete safely this weekend."

Head coach Ryan Day, who tested positive for COVID-19 last week, will not coach the Buckeyes in East Lansing. Assistant head coach/defensive line coach Larry Johnson will serve as the interim coach Saturday, while Day is expected to resume his duties on Monday.

Ohio State will return to the field following a voluntary, last-minute cancellation against Illinois last weekend. The Buckeyes made the decision after "further positive tests for the coronavirus were discovered." The program missed another game earlier this season when Maryland was forced to cancel. Ohio State must play Michigan State and rival Michigan next week in order to qualify for the Big Ten championship game.

The Wolverines paused all football activities on Monday and canceled Saturday's game against Maryland due to COVID-19 tests in their program and associated contact tracing. 

Kickoff for Ohio State-Michigan State is set for noon ET.