COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio State's game scheduled for Saturday at Illinois has been canceled, the school announced Friday night.
Ohio State canceled the game after further tests for COVID-19 were discovered after a round of polymerase chain reaction testing on Friday afternoon. Head coach Ryan Day was among those who tested positive. Ohio State did not reveal the identities of the others.
The athletic department has paused all team-related football activities. The decision to cancel the game and pause activities was made by athletic director Gene Smith, OSU president Kristina M. Johnson and head team physician Dr. Jim Borchers in consultation with the Big Ten Conference.
"We have continued to experience an increase in positive tests over the course of this week," Smith said. "The health, safety and well-being of our student-athlete is our main concern, and our decisions on their welfare will continue to be guided by our medical staff."
Team activities will resume when its medical staff determines it is safe to do so based on protocols established by the Big Ten, Ohio State said in a release.
Without playing this weekend, the Buckeyes are in jeopardy of becoming ineligible for the conference championship game in Indianapolis next month.
Teams must play a minimum of six games to reach the title game, leaving the Buckeyes (4-0) with no margin for error over the next two weeks. If either of their remaining games, against Michigan State or Michigan, is impacted, they could fall below the threshold requirement.
Ohio State is currently on pace to play six regular-season games in this pandemic-altered season, which began in late October.
Due to the Big Ten's delayed start to the season, the schedule did not leave any idle weeks for teams to reschedule games, setting up eight games for teams in a span of eight weeks, followed by a final weekend on Dec. 19 that includes the conference title game and several crossover games between the divisions.
The game against Illinois is declared a no contest by the Big Ten.
It is the second cancellation in three weeks for the Buckeyes, who were scheduled to visit Maryland on Nov. 14 before eight Terrapins' players tested positive for the coronavirus, leading the game to be called off.
Rising coronavirus cases across the U.S. in recent weeks have prompted more cancellations across college football, including in the Big Ten.
Since Halloween, one Big Ten game has been canceled each week, and two were scrapped this weekend.
Saturday's game between Minnesota and Wisconsin was also canceled due to COVID-19 cases within the Gophers' program. The teams had met in each season since 1906.
Along with looking to reach the Big Ten's championship game, the Buckeyes have also been competing for one of four spots in the College Football Playoff and were ranked fourth in the selection committee's initial rankings released Tuesday.
The final rankings are not set until Dec. 20, but canceled contests also leave them with fewer opportunities to amass style points in order to impress committee members.
CFP chair Gary Barta said they were keeping an eye on the Buckeyes' defense after it gave up 35 points and almost 500 total yards to Indiana last Saturday.
