COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — Ohio State certainly didn’t seem to be hurting on defense with how it played Saturday against Michigan State.

But several defensive starters were missing from the win over the Spartans, including linebacker Tommy Eichenberg and safety Lathan Ransom. During his weekly news conference on Tuesday, coach Ryan Day said Ransom could return this year but “it doesn’t look like it will be any time in the next couple of weeks.” As for Eichenberg, his status is still unknown for the Buckeyes next game but Day says he is expected to practice throughout the week.

The challenge this week for the No. 1 Buckeyes will be Minnesota (5-5, 3-4), which is coming off a 49-30 loss to Purdue that snapped a three-game winning streak. The Buckeyes and Golden Gophers meet at 4 p.m. Saturday at Ohio Stadium.

OSU is fresh off a 38-3 win which was a celebration of Marvin Harrison Jr., who caught two touchdown passes and ran for the team’s first TD, as Ohio State pushes him in the Heisman Trophy race. The Buckeyes are 10-0 and ranked third in the AP and coaches polls ahead of the latest College Football Playoff rankings, where they’ve been No. 1, with the next set scheduled to be released Tuesday night.

After the Minnesota game, the Buckeyes will play No. 2 Michigan, which is dealing with the fallout from a scouting scandal, in the regular-season finale on Nov. 25. Wins in both games would put Ohio State in the Big Ten championship game on Dec. 2 in Indianapolis.