Shaun Wade, Wyatt Davis could still return to Ohio State after opting out

Ohio State starters Shaun Wade and Wyatt Davis may still play in 2020 despite previously opting out, with the Big Ten reviving its season in October.

The Big Ten is reportedly reviving its football season, per CBS Sports, with the conference now set to kick off in late October after previously postponing the fall season. The reversal brings teams like Ohio State, Michigan, and Wisconsin back into the College Football Playoff equation, and allows fans to see stars like Buckeyes quarterback Justin Fields play one more time.

However, with an abundance of opt-outs already complicating the Big Ten landscape, the Buckeyes, in particular, could be getting some high-end talent back. Guard Wyatt Davis and cornerback Shaun Wade are projected first-rounders in the 2021 NFL Draft, and both are now reportedly reconsidering their opt-out decisions following the Big Ten’s announcement.

Wade and Davis both opted out in recent weeks to focus on the NFL Draft, but The Athletic‘s Ari Wasserman reports that Ohio State head coach Ryan Day knows that both still hope to play another season with their teammates. Now, with the Big Ten season resuming soon, reversals could soon follow.

What would it mean for Ohio State to have Wade and Davis back?

Getting back two stars could be vital to the program’s hopes of making a second consecutive College Football Playoff appearance, as a shortened schedule could put the Buckeyes, and the rest of the Big Ten, at a competitive disadvantage. Each team is set to play only eight regular-season games, while conferences like the ACC, SEC, and Big 12 are all likely to play 10 to 11.

Ohio State certainly has the talent to reach the postseason once again, but Wade and Davis could level the playing field a bit. The Big Ten regular season is basically being played on borrowed time at this point, and the risk still exists of the season being derailed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

However, for Big Ten athletes who had previously been robbed of a chance to compete one last time, the opportunity now exists to showcase their talents for the fall season.