Ohio State will be without a veteran linebacker.
Justin Hilliard will sit out the Buckeyes' game with Penn State on Saturday, per Lettermen Row, after his rapid-response test for COVID-19 came back positive. Even though he took a second test that came back negative to allow him to be on the sidelines, he will not be allowed to play, per the report.
In his sixth year at Ohio State, Hilliard didn't play in Week 1's 35-point win against Nebraska after being ruled a game-time decision, and now he'll have to wait even longer to make his debut. If confirmed, a positive coronavirus test will keep him out of action for 21 days, per Big Ten policy.
The Buckeyes, once again, will rely on starters Pete Werner, Tuf Borland and Baron Browning and backups Teradja Mitchell, Dallas Gant and K'Vaughan Pope.
Hilliard, a one-time five-star recruit from Cincinnati, was expected to play at strongside linebacker alongside Browning this season. Throughout an up-and-down, injury-riddled career, he has accumulated 51 tackles, including four tackles for loss, and an interception.
Editor's note: The initial story cited Lettermen Row's report that Hilliard's positive test was confirmed with a PCR test. The second test being specified as a PCR test was removed from the report, so it has been taken out of this story.
