Ohio State Buckeyes tight end Cade Stover has been taken to an area hospital after suffering a back injury in the Peach Bowl against the Georgia Bulldogs.
Midway through Saturday’s CFP Semifinal matchup, Stover went down after taking a hit following a short reception. He immediately grabbed at his lower back and motioned toward the sideline, calling for a substitution as he immediately sought medical attention.
- Cade Stover stats (2022: 35 receptions, 399 receiving yards, five touchdowns
Before Ohio State went into the locker room with a 28-24 halftime lead, head coach Ryan Day told sideline reporters that he didn’t expect Stover to return to the game. Unfortunately, the Buckeyes’ medical staff has now had to take him to the hospital.
ESPN’s Holly Rowe reported during the broadcast early in the third quarter that Stover was hospitalized with a lower back injury. He will undergo CT scans and receive immediate medical treatment to address the pain in his lower back.
Stover is an integral part of the Buckeyes’ offense and the senior also serves as a veteran presence on the field. Considering the stakes of the game and that it’s his senior season, it speaks to the degree of pain that Stover was taken to the hospital rather than even just staying on the sideline with his teammates.
In Stover’s absence, tight ends Mitch Rossi and Gee Scott Jr. will likely see more snaps. However, the Buckeyes’ offense might choose to reduce its usage of tight ends and spread out Georgia’s defense more with wide receivers.