Ohio State football has now ruled out a starter for the Iowa game, and another key name could join him
Ohio State’s Friday availability report for Saturday’s Week 5 game against Iowa is here and it leaves questions.
The Ohio State Buckeyes have a tough Week 5 road test on tap Saturday against the Iowa Hawkeyes. Iowa is riding high after a win over Michigan, and Ohio State heads into a place where it hasn’t played since 2017. The Buckeyes were blown out in that game, which was a big shock at the time.
Heading into Saturday’s Big Ten matchup, Ohio State has some injuries to go over. The Buckeyes are going to be down at least one starter against the Hawkeyes, and a key piece of the defense is up in the air.
Ohio State rules out a starter on the offensive line
On Friday’s availability report, Ohio State ruled out offensive tackle Philip Daniels. Daniels will miss his third straight game and hasn’t played since the Week 2 loss against the Texas Longhorns.
The Buckeyes have been getting by without him up front, but it’s never ideal to play on the road in a hostile environment without a starting tackle. Iowa’s defense is going to test that offensive line, and how the Buckeyes hold up in the trenches is going to be key.
With Daniels out, you can continue to expect to see Gabe VanSickle at right guard, and Austin Siereveld sliding over from guard to tackle.
Additionally, the only other notable player out for Ohio State against Iowa is freshman linebacker Braxton Rembert. Rembert has seen limited time this season, so his absence shouldn’t change much for the Buckeyes’ defense.
Jay Timmons is the biggest question mark for the Buckeyes
Besides Daniels, the biggest injury question mark is on Ohio State starting freshman cornerback Jay Timmons. Timmons is listed as questionable to play against the Hawkeyes on Saturday. It looks like he’s going to be a game-time decision.
Timmons is Ohio State’s only freshman starter, and he’s been terrific this season working out of the slot. The former five-star recruit first made his presence known in the Texas game, when he forced a fumble on the Longhorns’ first possession.
He’s a player the Buckeyes would love to have on the field Saturday because he’s hard to replace. Still, Ohio State does have options at the slot cornerback spot if Timmons isn’t available.
If Timmons can’t go, Jermaine Matthews Jr. is a player who could slide over to the inside cornerback spot. That move would then have the Buckeyes playing Dominick Kelly on the outside.
That’s the way I would go if Timmons is unable to suit up in this Big Ten game against Iowa. Matthews has the versatility to handle the slot, and it keeps Ohio State’s best available players on the field rather than forcing a less experienced option into a big role on the road.
It won’t be easy for the Buckeyes in a stadium that has given them trouble before, especially with an Iowa team coming off a big win. The Timmons’ question is the big one that has to be answered. We’ll find out closer to kickoff Saturday.
