Trio of Ohio State stars opt out of Rose Bowl, declare for NFL

Ohio State will be without three of its top playmakers when the Buckeyes take the field to compete in the Rose Bowl vs. No. 10 Utah.

On Monday, star wide receiver Chris Olave announced he would be missing the Rose Bowl Matchup and was declaring for the NFL Draft. Joey Kaufman, who covers the Buckeyes for the Columbus Dispatch, reported that OSU head coach Ryan Day also said Haskell Garrett, Chris Olave and Nicholas Petit-Frere won’t be playing vs. Utah.

This is obviously a significant blow for both sides of the ball as the Buckeyes attempt to bounce back and close the year out with a victory.

Ohio State receiver declares for NFL Draft

Earlier on Monday, wide receiver Garrett Wilson has opted out of the Rose Bowl against Utah, Letterman Row reported. The projected first round pick will instead begin preparing for the NFL draft.

The receiver later confirmed the news himself with a post on Twitter.

“I want to start this off by thanking you all from the bottom of my heart,” he wrote. “These last three years have been unforgettable and becoming a Buckeye has been the single-greatest decision of my life.

“I would like to thank my teammates, trainers and our entire coaching staff. …I wouldn’t be in this situation without each and every one of you. To my family, thank you for your unconditional love, guidance and support.

“This journey has been a lifetime in the making and after careful consideration, today, I am excited to start the next chapter by declaring for the NFL draft.”

Wilson was a stand out player for the past three seasons for Ohio State. This year, he set career highs with 70 receptions for 1,058 yards and 12 touchdowns.

There was plenty of speculation that this decision was coming from Wilson given his draft stock. However, it is now official. He ends his career as a Buckeye with a total of 143 catches for 2,213 yards and 23 touchdowns.

Ohio State still has Jaxon Smith-Njigba who has now been thrown into the front of the pack.

Now that Olave has followed Garrett Wilson by opting out of the Rose Bowl, Smith-Njigba takes on the role of No. 1 receiver against the Utes. He, too, had an impressive season, leading the Buckeyes in both receptions (80) and yards (1,259).

Kickoff for the “Granddaddy of them all” is set for 5 p.m. ET on New Year’s Day in Pasadena. It’s clear the Ohio State staff is going to have to find innovative ways to move the ball on offense.