Ohio State Defensive End JT Tuimoloau Ready To Play Through Ankle Injury In CFP Title Game 

Ohio State senior defensive end JT Tuimoloau is not letting a sprained ankle get in the way of him competing for a national title. 

The Buckeyes’ veteran rushman told the media during the team’s media on Saturday that he will be good to go Monday night in the College Football Playoff national title game against Notre Dame after suffering his ankle ailment in the team’s CFP semifinal win over Texas 10 days earlier. 

“This is the national championship,” Tuimoloau said. “Can’t take any moment for granted.” 

Tuimoloau’s ankle injury forced him to miss some portions of the second half of the Buckeyes’ 28-14 Cotton Bowl win over Texas, but he returned soon after and recorded three tackles in the final 20 minutes of game action, helping the Buckeyes stop the Longhorns at the goal line on their final drive to seal the game.

He finished with seven tackles (2 ½ for loss) and 1 ½ sacks in 45 snaps in the win. 

“It was just adrenaline,” Tuimoloau said of his ability to come back after the injury. “A lot of adrenaline.” 

Tuimoloau’s presence will certainly be a welcome sight for an Ohio State defensive line that has been wreaking havoc on opposing offenses in the College Football Playoff, especially off the edge. The Washington native has been especially dominant, recording 5 ½ sacks and eight tackles for loss in Ohio State’s three playoff wins. 

Ohio State is also set to have starting senior cornerback Denzel Burke in the lineup against Notre Dame after he was sidelined towards the end of the Buckeyes’ Cotton Bowl win with what Ryan Day called an “upper extremity” ailment. 

Burke told The Columbus Dispatch during media day that he aggravated the extremity twice against Texas, including on a missed tackle of Silas Bolden that caused him to hit the turf, but he will be good to go on Monday night. 

“I’ll be good,” Burke said of his status for the title game. 

Burke has also turned it on in the College Football Playoff following a topsy-turvy second half of the year, totaling just four total tackles but mostly blanketing receivers in coverage.