ANN ARBOR, Mich. — After missing the Michigan State game with an undisclosed injury, Ohio State freshman wide receiver Emeka Egbuka is set to return to the field Saturday as the Buckeyes take on Michigan in Ann Arbor.
Ohio State will be without 19 players when it takes on the Wolverines on the road, including senior cornerback Sevyn Banks, who was listed as a game-time decision ahead of last week's matchup with the Spartans and did not see the field, and linebacker Cade Kacherski, who suffered what head coach Ryan Day called a "long-term" injury in kickoff coverage last weekend.
After playing 35 snaps against Michigan State, leading all Ohio State rushers with 95 yards and a rushing touchdown on 21 carries, redshirt junior Master Teague III will not be available for the fourth time this season, not taking the field against Indiana, Penn State or Purdue
Banks will not be the only player Ohio State's missing in its secondary.
Redshirt senior Demario McCall, who played 15 snaps at cornerback last weekend in Banks' absence, will not be available.
Ohio State redshirt freshman quarterback Jack Miller III will also not be available for the first time this season. Miller was reinstated to the football team prior to the Michigan State game after a charge for operating a vehicle while impaired was reduced to reckless operation.
Here's Ohio State's full injury report ahead of its matchup with Michigan:
Unavailable
WR Kamryn Babb
CB Sevyn Banks
RB Marcus Crowley
S Jantzen Dunn
DE Tyler Friday
LB Palaie Gaoteote IV
DL Darrion Henry-Young
CB Jakailin Johnson
S Jaylen Johnson
LB Cade Kacherski
CB Demario McCall
DT Jaden McKenzie
LB Mitchell Melton
OL Harry Miller
QB Jack Miller III
DL Noah Potter
S Josh Proctor
TE Gee Scott Jr.
RB Master Teague III
Here's what it means for Ohio StateÂ
Ohio State's defensive backfield is wearing thin.
Without either Banks or McCall, Ohio State will be forced to lean on two redshirt freshmen — Lejond Cavazos and Ryan Watts — to back up Cameron Brown and Denzel Burke at cornerback Saturday.
The Buckeyes running back room remains thin as well, leaving freshman TreVeyon Henderson and redshirt freshman Miyan Williams to do the heavy lifting, while freshman Evan Pryor is waiting in the wings if Ohio State needs the depth.
Ohio State's linebacker room got even smaller with the long-term loss of Kacherski and Gaoteote, leaving only Steele Chambers, Tommy Eichenberg, Cody Simon and Teradja Mitchell to carry the load, along with Reid Carrico and Ryan Batsch.
Without Miller, freshman Kyle McCord will continue to serve as the primary backup to redshirt freshman C.J. Stroud. Freshman Quinn Ewers played two snaps against Michigan State in his collegiate debut.
No. 2 Ohio State takes on No. 5 Michigan at noon.