As had been speculated as a possibility last week, Ohio State defensive end Nick Bosa will not play this weekend when the Buckeyes travel to Penn State for a key Big Ten East Division matchup.
“It’s going to be a few more weeks, but we expect him back,” Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer said while meeting with the media on Monday.
Bosa left Ohio State’s win against TCU two weeks ago with an injury. What was declared an abdominal and groin injury would leave Bosa out of action this past weekend against Tulane. Meyer confirmed Bosa underwent surgery and there has not been a released timeline of when Bosa is expected to be able to return to the team, or whether he will or not. Although, Meyer’s comments suggest there is optimism Bosa will be able to return down the line for the Buckeyes.
Penn State may stand to benefit by the absence of one of the nation’s top players, not just top defensive players, but the Nittany Lions will still have their paws full with Ohio State’s defensive front. Holding off the defensive line from Ohio State will be instrumental in Penn State’s chances to defend the home field and get the running game on track early and give Trace McSorley time to make some plays. Not having Bosa chase McSorley down is a plus for Penn State, but Ohio State’s depth will still give Ohio State an upper hand in terms of overall talent on the field Saturday night.
Chase Young started for Ohio State this past weekend against Tulane in place of the injured Bosa. He and Tyreke Smith figure to continue trying to plug the end in the meantime, while Dre’Mont Jones will continue to anchor the other end.