Today's clash between No. 4 Ohio State and No. 7 Michigan State carries major significance for a host of reasons. Notably, both teams are still in the hunt for a conference title and potential College Football Playoff bid.
But that's not all. Serving as the last home game of the season for the Buckeyes, that means 21 seniors and three redshirt juniors will be participating in pregame festivities to honor their contributions.
Per Ohio State’s game notes, the players who will be honored before kickoff are Aaron Cox, Jack Jamieson, Robert Cope, Austin Kutscher, Jagger LaRoe, Corey Rau, Ryan Batsch, Cade Kacherski, Sam Wiglusz, Chris Booker, Cameron Brown, Master Teague, Mitch Rossi, Tyreke Smith, Nicholas Petit-Frere, Sevyn Banks, Bradley Robinson, Jeremy Ruckert, Marcus Williamson, Antwuan Jackson, Demario McCall, Haskell Garrett, Chris Olave and Thayer Munford.
Brown, Petit-Frere and Teague are those three redshirt juniors and while participating in the pregame event isn't an automatic signal they're gone, it's a pretty good sign.
And man, there's some serious heat in that collection of guys - a lot of sacrifice, leadership and production that will be missed next year.
In advance of the pregame ceremonies, a host of players offered parting words to the world.
Jeremy Ruckert
.@Jeremy_Ruckert1 SR Lindenhurst, NJ #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/2YX7VmVqK5
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) November 20, 2021
Master Teague
.@MasterTeagueIII SR Murfreesboro, TN #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/W1FkhXdl19
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) November 20, 2021
Mitch Rossi
.@Mitch_rossi5 SR Franklin, TN #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/L221DRZBq9
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) November 20, 2021
Haskell Garrett
.@HaskellGarrett_ SR Las Vegas, NV #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/V8CnA0qFJn
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) November 20, 2021
Cade Kacherski
.@cade_kacherski1 SR Dublin, OH #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/BsWKuOrEOt
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) November 20, 2021
Jack Jamieson
.@JackJamieson16 SR Lakewood, OH#GoBucks pic.twitter.com/UaBEeZpNCT
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) November 20, 2021
Chris Olave
.@chrisolave_ SR San Ysidro, CA#GoBucks pic.twitter.com/2r1sA1ZV5V
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) November 20, 2021
Jagger LaRoe
.@jaggerlaroe SR Colleyville, TX#GoBucks pic.twitter.com/c90gzv5GxA
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) November 19, 2021
Robert Cope
.@CopeRtcope SR Dublin, OH#GoBucks pic.twitter.com/lbUq3PB3zN
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) November 19, 2021
Austin Kutscher
.@AustinKutscher SR Massillon, Ohio #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/3iw62Oj9kh
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) November 19, 2021
Nicholas Petit-Frere
.@NicholasPetit SR Tampa, FL #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/WFhxR9Czg7
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) November 19, 2021
Cameron Brown
.@luh_cam_ SR St. Louis, MO #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/oComfUPAla
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) November 19, 2021
Antwuan Jackson
.@Hercules__52 SR Ellenwood, GA#GoBucks pic.twitter.com/YlfrIGKvLK
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) November 19, 2021
Demario McCall
.@DemarioMccall SR North Ridgerville, OH #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/ZXmZ7ZKEA4
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) November 19, 2021
Bradley Robinson
.@BRobinson_42 SR Troy, MI#GoBucks pic.twitter.com/6aJklg1QuY
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) November 19, 2021
Ryan Batsch
.@Ryan_Batsch SR Loveland, OH#GoBucks pic.twitter.com/8A1KwlwjoG
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) November 19, 2021
Chris Booker
.@cbooks13 SR Dayton, OH #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/KqVGhpXMn4
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) November 19, 2021
Sevyn Banks
.@SevynBanks SR Orlando, FL #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/9WL4YqVvWb
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) November 19, 2021
Marcus Williamson
.@WW_Marcus SR Westerville, OH#GoBucks pic.twitter.com/xix03ci1od
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) November 20, 2021
Corey Rau
@CRau97 SR Katy, TX #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/h0EJwlDNCa
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) November 19, 2021
Sam Wiglusz
.@samwiglusz SR Brecksville, OH#GoBucks pic.twitter.com/ahB7p8sK4d
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) November 20, 2021
Salute, gentlemen.