Ohio State resumes activities ahead of Michigan State clash

The Ohio State Buckeyes are back as much as they can be on a Tuesday afternoon. 

As Adam Rittenberg noted for ESPN, the third-ranked team in the country is resuming activities and preparing to face the Michigan State Spartans on Saturday after missing this past Saturday's game against the Illinois Fighting Illini due to COVID-19 issues affecting the Buckeyes. 

Ohio State remains atop the Big Ten East Division standings at 4-0. Due to a conference rule for the shortened season, the Buckeyes will need to play against Michigan State and versus the Michigan Wolverines on Dec. 12 to be eligible for the league title game.

Only teams that have finished six contests this season will be able to compete in the championship showdown unless, as Rittenberg wrote, the Big Ten cancels 12 of the 14 remaining games ahead of Dec. 19. Such schedule alterations would scrap the six-game minimum. 

There were discussions among fans and observers regarding if the College Football Playoff selection committee would accept the unbeaten Buckeyes if they can't play in the conference championship game due to COVID-19. Avoiding future positive test results and running the table would eliminate any doubt about their standing among the country's top-four teams. 

Ohio State coach Ryan Day recently tested positive for the coronavirus and won't be permitted to attend the game at Michigan State as he continues to isolate away from team activities. Defensive line coach Larry Johnson will serve as interim coach in Day's absence.