Ohio State leading rusher Miyan Williams, who has missed practice this week with what coach Ryan Day said is a stomach bug, is expected to return to practice Thursday and be available to play against Georgia in the College Football Playoff Semifinal Game at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl on Saturday.
Williams has rushed for 817 yards and 13 touchdowns this season. He was not present at the Buckeyes’ media day Thursday.
“He’s got a stomach bug, and we expect him at practice today,” Day said. “We just gotta take it as we go.”
Day later said the Buckeyes expect to have everyone available against Georgia.
Not having Williams at practice isn’t ideal, but Day said the “good news is our guys have responded well to it and some guys have stepped up.”
Ohio State’s leading rusher from last season, TreVeyon Henderson, injured his foot in September and underwent season-ending surgery earlier this month.
Day said Henderson worked hard to try to get back on the field, “but in the end he just had to have surgery.”
“That was the right thing for Trey,” Day added. “… All these guys have been preparing hard, and we have some good options.”
When Williams was injured against Michigan, Chip Trayanum took the majority of carries, rushing for 83 yards on 14 attempts. Dallan Hayden is the team’s third-leading rusher with 510 yards and five touchdowns.