Ohio State Players' Families Can Attend Michigan Game

Ohio State's most recent home game was held in an entirely empty stadium while Franklin County and the Ohio Department of Health recommended additional quarantines and social distancing protocols to prevent the spread of CoVID-19. This was especially frustrating for the Buckeye players and coaches because their families had been allowed to attend the first two home games this season under strict regulations.

However, an Ohio State spokesman has confirmed that up to four family members or friends per player - including from Michigan - will be permitted to attend Saturday's contest with Michigan, which is scheduled to kick off at noon Eastern Time on Saturday. But families will be spaced out a little more than they had been in the first two home games against Nebraska and Rutgers.

This is especially good news for the Ohio State senior class, which will be playing in its final home game and will be recognized for their contributions to the program. Should Michigan be unable to play on Saturday because of their coronavirus outbreak, it's not out of the question yet that the Buckeyes could host a different team.

Short-handed Buckeyes Annihilate Michigan State

For example, Minnesota cancelled its game last weekend because 49 people (23 student-athletes and 26 staff members) tested positive for CoVID-19 between Nov. 24 and Dec. 3. They are scheduled to play Nebraska this weekend. If Michigan is unable to play, even though the Huskers and Buckeyes have already played this year, its not inconceivable that they could play again. It's also possible that the league could shuffle the schedule to create a different matchup. Everything is on the table right now as the league considers what to do with an undefeated Ohio State team that is on the precipice of not meeting it's initial mandate that a team must play in six of the eight games to qualify for a Big Ten championship game appearance.

Regardless of the opponent, OSU senior day festivities will be dialed back compared to previous years. Parents will not be allowed on the field for a pregame ceremony, for example. But athletic director Gene Smith said on his podcast last week that the university is going to do everything they can to make it a special day for those young men.

“We’re gonna recognize our seniors virtually,” Smith said. “Big Ten Network and Fox are gonna do some things for our seniors, and not just for our team, but for all the teams in the league where they’re trying to do some senior tributes through BTN throughout the week. And then we’ll do some things in the game. Pregame, of course, on the video board. But we’ll be doing things throughout the game to recognize our seniors virtually. So we’re blessed to have an unbelievable creative team and video crew, so they’re gonna put some things together.”

According to Bill Rabinowitz of the Columbus Dispatch, coaches' families are still not permitted to attend the game this weekend.

Meanwhile, while the Ohio State basketball and ice hockey seasons have begun play, no fans have been permitted to attend those games. That will remain the case until at least January.

-----

You may also like:

Game Day Observations: Ohio State Offense vs. Michigan State

Game Day Observations: Ohio State Defense vs. Michigan State

Ohio State's Best Path to the College Football Playoff

-----

Be sure to stay locked into BuckeyesNow all the time!

Join the BuckeyesNow community!
Subscribe to the BuckeyesNow YouTube channel
Follow Brendan on Twitter: @brendangulick22
Follow BuckeyesNow on Twitter: @BuckeyesNowSI
Like and follow BuckeyesNow on Facebook