Fans May be Barred from Ohio State Game at Oregon

Oregon governor's announcement creates depressing scenario for Sept. 12

Think back to how life operated four months ago.

Restaurants and gyms were open. So were stores. No one wore masks. Everyone lived their lives amid rumblings of a deadly virus in China.

Much has changed since then, with more than 30 million unemployed, trillions commited in bailout relief and life only now hinting at getting back to normal in Ohio.

The takeaway: no one saw coming what came, and predicting where things go from here is similarly elusive.

Factor all that in with the Thursday announcement from Oregon Governor Kate Brown that the Oregon Health Authority “is advising that any large gathering, at least through September, should be canceled or significantly modified.:

That encompasses Ohio State's scheduled Sept. 12 game at Oregon's Autzen Stadium against the defending Rose Bowl and Pacific 12 champions.

“Large gatherings, including live sporting events with audiences, concerts, festivals, and conventions will not be able to return until we have a reliable treatment or prevention like a vaccine,” Brown said.

What that means for the Week 2 clash that will leave the loser scrambling to polish its College Football Playoff case is unknown, because only last week the University of Oregon announced plans to welcome students back to campus in the fall.

Maybe the game will happen.

Maybe no fans will be allowed.

Maybe the Oregon Health Authority will relax its recommendations.

OSU is scheduled to open the season at home against Bowling Green on Sept. 5.

For the latest on Ohio State follow BruceHooley.com on Facebook and @BuckeyeMaven on Twitter.