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Last week at Ohio State, two storms of speculation swirled.

Would the Buckeyes be able to play their scheduled game at Michigan State?

And if they did, would Justin Fields be available?

COVID had ripped through the team and already caused the cancellation of the previous week's game against Illinois. And even when Ohio State pressed forward with plans to travel to East Lansing, everyone knew Ryan Day and others wouldn't be available because of the outbreak.

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Would the "others" include Fields, the elite distributor who makes it all go? Ohio State's official social-media feed provided the answer on Friday, showing Fields boarding the flight to Michigan State.

Thus, Buckeye Nation exhaled. It was so 2020.

This is just stuff that seems routine by now, here in December. But starting with conference championship Saturday 12 days from now, the stakes grow higher and the availability of key players (not to mention coaches) that much more crucial.

This year -- and we pray it's only this year -- CFP stands for the Covid Football Playoff. To be the last team standing in the end you'll need great plays by great players, a good bounce of the ball here or there, and probably some good fortune with the virus.

Let's put it this way: There's a reason why, earlier this season when asked to cite his biggest concern moving forward, Dabo Swinney quickly blurted out: "COVID."

For the few teams still pursuing a national title, that concern is magnified as the margin for error thins and the virus spikes nationwide.

It's hard to come up with a COVID tale of the tape among the contenders, but it does seem safe to say Clemson is in a good position as it stares down the prospect of three straight games against Top 5 opposition.