With a spot in the CFP semifinals on the line, Ohio State’s offensive depth is facing a late-season test. Ahead of the game, head coach Ryan Day released the Buckeyes’ availability report, which confirmed a key receiver will be sidelined for the Cotton Bowl. But apart from that, the final depth chart doesn’t look reassuring either. 

A total of 12 OSU players are listed on the injury report released on December 28. Four of them are listed out, including freshman WR Quincy Porter, ending any lingering hope of a late postseason return. He is Ohio State’s fifth-most-used receiver behind Jeremiah Smith, Carnell Tate, Brandon Inniss, and Mylan Graham. 

The freshman appeared in three games this season, catching four passes for 59 yards, but his role grew quietly before an undisclosed injury sidelined him late in the regular season. He missed the final two games, the Big Ten Championship. With Porter unavailable again, Ohio State’s passing game becomes even more concentrated at the top, putting added strain on a receiver room that has already navigated multiple minor setbacks this season.

And now the Cotton Bowl. S Malik Hartford, QB Mason Maggs, and DL Logan George are also listed as out.

But on the receiver side, the news is more encouraging elsewhere. Jeremiah Smith removed any doubts about his own status during Monday’s press conference, confirming he is fully healthy after battling a quad injury late in the season. The 6’4, 223-pound receiver admitted he was not at full strength against Michigan, yet still delivered a touchdown in that win. 

Smith followed a 1,315-yard freshman season with 80 receptions, 1,086 yards, and 11 touchdowns this year, despite missing time in November. Now, the All-American WR will face Miami, his hometown program, and several familiar faces from South Florida, including former Chaminade-Madonna Prep teammates Joshisa “JoJo” Trader, Chris Ewald Jr., and Donta Simpson. 

With Porter out, Ohio State will once again lean heavily on Smith and Carnell Tate, leaving little margin if either is forced to manage in-game limitations. Quarterback Julian Sayin’s efficiency will hinge on that duo staying upright deep into the game.

But another concern sits in the “doubtful” column, where starting right guard Tegra Tshabola remains sidelined despite participating in the O-line drills at practice. He started all 13 games this season and owns 29 career starts, but Ryan Day has already signaled that his return is not imminent.

He said it’ll probably be a little while, maybe even a few weeks, effectively ruling him out of the quarterfinal. Gabe VanSickle and Joshua Padilla are the primary options, and a rotation is likely against Miami’s front. Also listed as doubtful is defensive lineman Ahmed Tounkara, trimming Ohio State’s flexibility in its interior defensive rotation if he cannot go.

Beyond Tshabola, defensive tackle Will Smith Jr. is listed as probable. As the backup nose guard behind unanimous All-American Kayden McDonald, his availability stabilizes Ohio State’s interior rotation. If he plays, the Buckeyes will be close to full strength at the line of scrimmage. Smith has recorded 18 tackles this season, nine of them solo, making him a dependable depth piece in short-yardage situations.

Ohio State depth chart:

• Out: Malik Hartford (S), Quincy Porter (WR), Mason Maggs (QB), Logan George (DL)

• Doubtful: Tegra Tshabola (RG), Ahmed Tounkara (DL)

• Probable: De’Zie Jones (WR), Anthony Rodgers (RB), Deshawn Stewart (S), Cody Haddad (S), Will Smith Jr. (NT), Devontae Armstrong (OL)

Miami enters with its own limitations. DB Damari Brown, LB Malik Bryant, and WR Daylyn Upshaw are out. DL Donta Simpson Jr. is doubtful. Brown has been part of a four-man corner rotation, making his absence particularly relevant against Ohio State’s receiver depth heading into the Cotton Bowl. 

Ryan Day gets on a familiar stage with an unfamiliar opponent

The Cotton Bowl sets the stage for a game layered in history and context. Miami earned an at-large berth despite not reaching the ACC Championship Game, benefiting from Duke’s exclusion. The Hurricanes went three weeks between their regular-season finale and their CFP debut, a 10-3 win at Texas A&M.

Now they return to Texas, roughly 200 miles from College Station, with Ohio State coming off an even more extended break.

Head coach Mario Cristobal dismissed the idea that rest guarantees anything. 

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“The bye weeks and the extra time off, sometimes it’s been great for people, and sometimes it hasn’t,” he said. “Then vice versa as it relates to playing. I don’t think there’s an exact predictor of success or non-success as it relates to time off.”

This will be just the second postseason meeting between Ohio State and Miami, nearly 23 years after the Buckeyes’ double-overtime Fiesta Bowl win that denied the Hurricanes a repeat national title.

Ohio State knows the building. It won here last season on the way to its sixth AP national championship. Miami knows the weight of the moment. The Buckeyes kick off against the Hurricanes at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, with final availability released 90 minutes before kickoff. By then, the story will move from reports to results.