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Ohio State football news: Buckeyes to be without LSU transfer vs. Ball State
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- Ohio State football news: Buckeyes to be without LSU transfer vs. Ball State
Ohio State football news: Buckeyes to be without LSU transfer vs. Ball State appeared first on ClutchPoints . Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here .
The Ohio State Buckeyes football team will open the 2026 season without LSU transfer wide receiver Kyle Parker against Ball State on Saturday afternoon. An undisclosed injury sidelined Parker for most of fall camp and will delay his debut with the Buckeyes after he joined the program in January.
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On3 Sports' Pete Nakos took to X, formerly Twitter, before kickoff and reported the expected absence alongside Lettermen Row's Spencer Holbrook, citing sources familiar with Parker's status.
"Ohio State is expected to be without WR Kyle Parker today against Ball State, sources tell @SpencerHolbrook and me for @On3 .
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The LSU transfer missed most of fall camp with an undisclosed injury."
Parker arrived at Ohio State after spending three seasons at LSU, where he reunited with wide receivers coach Cortez Hankton. The senior caught 31 passes for 330 yards and four touchdowns across 13 games last season, making five starts.
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His latest setback interrupted encouraging spring progress. Parker became the first 2026 transfer to lose his black stripe on March 28 after Ohio State's fifth spring practice and had worked his way into the receiver rotation before the injury limited him during fall camp.
The Buckeyes have not disclosed the nature of Parker's current injury. Early camp reports indicated that he participated in individual drills while remaining limited during team periods.
Ohio State still enters the opener with a deep receiver room led by Jeremiah Smith and Brandon Inniss . Parker had projected as an additional slot depth and a possible kick-return option rather than a featured starter.
The timing also gives the Buckeyes another reason to manage the pass-catcher carefully with a road matchup with the Texas Longhorns in Week 2. Saturday's game against Ball State marks the first meeting between the programs and opens Ohio State's 137th official football season.
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