The No. 1 Ohio State Buckeyes moved to 11-0 on Saturday after securing a dominant 42-9 win over the Rutgers Scarlet Knights, despite being without star wide receivers Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate, who both missed the game with lower-body injuries.
At the moment, there isn’t significant concern in Columbus ahead of the regular-season finale. However, if Wednesday or Thursday arrive and neither receiver is on the practice field, even in a limited capacity, doubt could begin to creep in as Ohio State prepares for its biggest game of the season against its rival, the No. 18 Michigan Wolverines.
Ohio State head coach Ryan Day has struggled against Michigan during his tenure, losing the last four meetings — a glaring blemish on an otherwise elite resume. The Buckeyes’ most recent loss came nearly a year ago in their last matchup with the Wolverines.
Following Saturday’s win, Day addressed the media and provided an update on the injury status of both Smith and Tate heading into rivalry week.
“The only thing I’ll really say is they’re day-to-day, and the staff and those guys are working really hard to get ready to play next week,” Day said. “The guys had a really good week of work in terms of focus, and it was a good opportunity for others to step up in different ways. It’ll be the same this week, and those guys will have to fight like heck to get back on the field.”
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Smith is widely regarded as the best wide receiver in college football, and Tate isn’t far behind him. Their importance to Ohio State’s success can’t be overstated.
Smith consistently draws the opponent’s top defender and has been dominant this season, recording 69 receptions for 902 yards, 10 touchdowns, and an average of 13.1 yards per catch. Tate has hauled in 39 receptions for 711 yards and seven touchdowns, while averaging an impressive 18.2 yards per reception.
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