Ohio State Buckeyes’ starting running back Carlos Hyde will miss the first three games of the 2013 regular season after being suspended by head coach Urban Meyer following an alleged assault that was brought against him.
The good news for Hyde is that the police have now closed their investigation and no charges were filed by the alleged victim in the case. The end result though still was a suspension. Hyde will not be eligible to play in the games against Buffalo, San Diego State, or California. No Big Ten conference games will be missed.
Hyde’s first game back will be against Florida A&M in Week 4 – September 21st, in Columbus.
The Buckeyes are the favorites to win the Big Ten this season and compete for a spot in the BCS Championship game. Ohio State went undefeated last season but due to NCAA sanctions they were not able to play in a Big Ten championship game or a postseason bowl game.
Hyde is expected to be a pivotal part to the offense once again. He gained nearly 1,000 yards on the ground in 2012 and scored 17 touchdowns – most on the team. He’s a big bruising back weighing in at 242 pounds. The combination of Hyde and quarterback Braxton Miller could be one of the best quarterback/running back tandems in the nation.