COLUMBUS, Ohio –– If there’s good news for the Buckeyes in the fallout of the Michigan game cancellation Tuesday, aside from learning that they are, in fact, eligible for the Big Ten Championship, it’s that Ohio State doesn’t have to play another contest without several of the players and coaches that missed the Michigan State game with COVID-19.

Sure, there is always the possibility that new virus cases could impact even more consequential pieces of the roster in the days ahead, but all indication at this point is that the worst outbreak is behind the Buckeyes, who could have a near-complete roster entering the conference title game.

Exactly who all is back already, who will be back, and when that will be is still impossible to say without a bit of speculation, but head coach Ryan Day sounded rather hopeful when discussing the issue on Thursday.

“We’re in a pretty good place right now with that, but it’s day to day,” Day said on 97.1 The Fan. “Good news is, the guys who were affected with it the last week or so are starting to get back into the rhythm, we’re getting them back in practice and they should be ready to roll for the game.”

Day was one of several members of the team that the program announced were positive for COVID-19 on Nov. 27, a day before the Buckeyes were slated to play Illinois on the road, and even the following week, Ohio State had 23 players unavailable against Michigan State.

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The team did not delineate which players were gone with virus concerns and which may have been out for other reasons, but with several starters and other key players missing the game without previously known injury issues, it’s safe to assume the distinction in many cases.

While Day has said that the Big Ten would reexamine its 21-day mandatory absence rule for players that tested positive, even that range of time would allow players with a positive test on Nov. 27 or earlier the chance to play in the conference title game on Dec. 19.

But it seems a couple players may have already returned to activities, as both redshirt senior linebacker Tuf Borland and junior safety Josh Proctor –– each unavailable Saturday –– were present in full equipment in pictures that the program’s Twitter account released from what one would presume to be Wednesday’s practice.

Along with Day, the Buckeyes also get a number of coaches back this week. He didn’t go through each case specifically, but in Day’s assertion that “the coaches are back and ready to roll,” it seems like any coach that may have missed last week has now returned.

That list included quarterbacks coach Corey Dennis, co-defensive coordinator Greg Mattison and special teams coordinator Matt Barnes.

“They’re back, all symptom-free. For those guys, for coaches, it’s 10 days as long as you’re symptom-free,” Day said. “But for the players it's a little bit more involved because of the cardiac testing, coming back to make sure you’re cleared physically. Coaches can just sit in their chairs and watch film and walk around the practice field, these guys gotta actually go play, so it’s a little different for them.”

Things are looking up for the Buckeyes as far as COVID is concerned, but Day knows that the program can’t afford to assume it’s ever completely in the clear.

“Everyone else is gotta be really on top of their game and really be careful,” Day said.