Ohio State gets Siereveld, Jackson Jr. back for USC as Inniss and Boyd stay questionable

Ohio State heads to the Coliseum with its offensive line back to full strength. Its receiver room and secondary are less certain. Offensive lineman Austin Siereveld and defensive end Kenyatta Jackson Jr. have both been cleared for Saturday's game at USC. Wide receivers Brandon Inniss and Brock Boyd are listed as questionable, along with nickelback Jay Timmons, linebacker Eli Lee and cornerback Amar'e Miller. That's according to Wednesday's availability report, published by Eleven Warriors.

Siereveld matters most up front. He hasn't played since the October 3 win at Iowa, and his absence forced the staff to move people around the line. EssentiallySports reported that Ryan Day expects him back at tackle rather than right guard, where he started the season. Day still held back on saying how many snaps Siereveld would play in his first full week of practice. Speaking on 97.1 The Fan, Day said the Buckeyes should have "a full arsenal of guys up front." Jackson Jr.'s clearance is also a relief. He appeared to hurt his knee late against Indiana and needed help leaving the field.

The bigger question is still at quarterback. Julian Sayin is listed as out after leaving the Indiana game with his arm in a sling. Day has not named a starter between Luke Fahey, who finished that game, and freshman Tavien St. Clair. ClutchPoints reported that Day told reporters both quarterbacks practiced well and both should be ready, so a two-quarterback plan is possible. Running back Ja'Kobi Jackson is also out after Lisfranc surgery. If Inniss and Boyd can't play, whoever starts at quarterback will be working with a thinner group of receivers.

What it means for Saturday at USC

The Buckeyes are 6-1. Their only loss was 24-23 at Texas, and they come off a bye after a 19-15 win at Indiana that ended the Hoosiers' 22-game winning streak. Ohio State has won six straight since the Texas loss, including road wins at Iowa and Indiana. The defense has allowed 19 points or fewer in five of those six games.

USC is 6-2 but trending the wrong way. The Trojans lost 24-7 at Wisconsin while Ohio State was off, and they also lost at home to Oregon. They did win 31-23 at Penn State, though, and they've topped 40 points four times. ClutchPoints noted that a third loss would likely knock USC out of the Big Ten title race. It also noted that Ohio State hasn't played at the Coliseum since a 35-3 loss in 2008.

The board for Ohio State at USC has the Buckeyes favored across 12 venues. On Novig, Ohio State is -228 on the moneyline and USC is +223. Novig has Ohio State favored by 6.5 at -111, with USC +6.5 at +108. TheScore Bet offers USC a full extra point at +7.5, priced at -130. That half-point to one-point gap is the main difference between venues. The total sits at 51.5 on Novig. BetRivers has the best over price at 51, at -115. Sportsbook hold runs from 3.3% to 5.9% on the moneyline and up to 6.7% on the spread.

The price assumes a lot about a quarterback who hasn't been named. Siereveld's return should give Fahey or St. Clair better protection. Whether he has enough receivers to work with may come down to how Inniss and Boyd look by Saturday's NBC kickoff.