GLENDALE, Ariz — Notre Dame senior defensive tackle Sheldon Day might not play in the Fiesta Bowl against Ohio State due to injury.

A source told Blue & Gold Illustrated that Day suffered the injury late this week, which could prevent him from playing in the final game of his Irish career.

When the team arrived on the field of University of Phoenix Stadium, Day could be seen favoring his left leg.

Shortly after, Notre Dame announced that freshman nose guard Jerry Tillery was suspended for the game due to a violation of team rules.

Day recorded 41 tackles in 12 games and his 14.5 tackles for loss were the most by an Irish lineman since 2006. He also registered four sacks, 13 quarterback hurries and a forced fumble.

With Day's status in question, Notre Dame might need to lean on its other defensive linemen, including sophomore Jonathan Bonner a reserve who accumulated only 69 snaps in 12 regular season games.

The Irish will benefit from the return of senior nose guard Jarron Jones, who missed the entire regular season due to a knee injury suffered in fall camp. Tillery and sophomore Daniel Cage tag-teamed the position in Jones' absence this season.

"It's similar to what Ohio State has to figure out, when you have [Adolphus] Washington [out], do you move [defensive end Joey] Bosa inside at all," Irish head coach Brian Kelly said Wednesday when asked about the return of Jones. "Well, it minimizes what you do on the outside. We're the same way. We don't want to use [defensive end] Isaac Rochell on the inside because it minimizes what you do on the outside. I'm not comparing the two, but your rotation, we'd rather not.

"To have those two guys healthy, it's minimizing the need to rotate Isaac Rochell inside."

Buckeyes linemen Adolphus Washington (suspended for solicitation) and Tommy Schutt (injury) will both be out for the Fiesta Bowl, which could lead to Bosa, a likely top-10 pick in the NFL Draft, seeing a significant amount of snaps on the interior of the defensive line.

Day considered leaving Notre Dame for the NFL following his junior season, but decided to return to get his degree and hoped to play for a national championship.

He is expected to be drafted in the first three rounds of April’s NFL Draft.

The Irish and Buckeyes will face off on ESPN at 1 p.m.