Can Ohio State Football win the Rose Bowl if key players sit?

The Ohio State football team plays a tough Utah team in the Rose Bowl next week. It’s a game that the Buckeyes would very much like to win to carry some momentum into next season. But if multiple key players opt-out, can they still win the game?

Ryan Day prides his team on having some depth in key positions. The problem is that they don’t have that depth in certain positions. If the Buckeyes lose a great player on the defensive line like Haskell Garrett for the game, can they still stop Utah’s run game? Can the Buckeyes still be physical?

Utah will be one of the more physical teams that the Buckeyes have faced all season. Only TTUN might be more physical at the line of scrimmage. Having your best defensive lineman potentially opt-out would be a massive problem when you’re trying to stop Utah’s running game.

The offensive line might have to shift around some players as well. That could be a problem for a team that has had issues running the ball up the middle against the more physical teams they have faced. Even so, I still think the Buckeyes can win this game.

Ohio State still has enough players at skill positions to move the ball well against Utah’s defense. C.J. Stroud is still one of the best quarterbacks in the country. He can move the ball well. The defense is something that is more of a question for Ohio State even with a full roster.

We’re going to find out later this week who is officially playing in the game. Then we’ll have a better idea of what this Buckeyes team is capable of doing against the Utes. We’re going to find out if the Ohio State football team is worthy of being a top-6 team or not.