Alabama head coach Nick Saban affirmed there were at least conversations about moving Monday’s College Football Playoff National Championship game back in light of COVID-19 worries with Ohio State.
“There were discussions as to whether it was fair to continue or to move the game back and all that,” he said, per John Zenor of the Associated Press.
Nonetheless, Saban highlighted the reality Jan. 18 is the deadline for underclassmen to announce for the NFL draft and proposed doing as such “would have been a tough management” even while granting “player safety on either team as the most important factor in this decision.”
There have been inquiries regarding the number of players the Buckeyes will have accessible due to COVID-19 concerns.
On Thursday, Dan Patrick announced a source advised him “Ohio State is very close to the availability limit right now.” However, Austin Ward of Letterman Row revealed the Buckeyes have kept practicing and have not shut their facilities this week, which he composed would have occurred in the event that they were “very close” to the limit.
Head coach Ryan Day told columnists on Thursday “plenty of players” will be accessible regardless of whether he is uncertain the number of will be sidelined.
Playing the Crimson Tide would be a troublesome enough task for Ohio State regardless of whether it were completely healthy. All things considered, quarterback Mac Jones, wide receiver DeVonta Smith and running back Najee Harris were all Heisman Trophy candidates with Smith taking the trophy home.
The Buckeyes admired the assignment when they took care of Clemson effortlessly in the semifinals in a 49-28 triumph. Justin Fields stayed in the game after a hard hit from Clemson linebacker James Skalski and threw for six touchdowns in a splendid individual presentation.
Ohio State will probably require him to be similarly as good if worse to win the national title, particularly in the event that it is shorthanded.
