Ohio State Buckeyes make decision on Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate playing against Rutgers
All eyes are on the Ohio State duo of wideouts.
The Ohio State Buckeyes have just one game left at home before they take a trip up north with revenge on their mind against the Michigan Wolverines. Coming off a win over the UCLA Bruins, the Buckeyes will host Rutgers on Saturday as they look to move to 11-0 on the year.
Ohio State WR Carnell Tate has missed the last two games with an undisclosed injury. Injuries to Tate and Buckeyes star WR Jeremiah Smith have become a major focus for Buckeye Nation given the timing of both. Smith played just over a quarter against UCLA before shutting it down for the rest of the game, and he walked off the field gingerly afterward. Neither player will play for the Buckeyes today against Rutgers, according to ESPN’s Pete Thamel.
Ryan Day wasn’t giving any clues on Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate
Since Ryan Day has been running the Buckeyes, there has rarely been much information leaked out of the Woody Hayes Athletic Center regarding injuries. The situation with former Buckeye WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba a couple of years ago still comes to mind for many fans. Day was asked about his two wideouts on Wednesday afternoon and didn’t reveal much.
“They’re working hard to get back on the field. That’s it, that’s what they’re focused on,” Day said. “I don’t really have much more of an update other than that.”
Ohio State is choosing to be careful with its two stars, and that is probably the smart approach against Rutgers. The Buckeyes will be heavy favorites over the Scarlet Knights, and there’s bigger issues if they can’t get the job done without Smith and Tate. Sophomore QB Julian Sayin was limping a bit himself against UCLA after a hip-drop tackle, but he’s expected to be a full go for Saturday.
The most important thing for the Buckeyes is to be healthy when the games matter most. Michigan is a huge matchup for Ohio State as it looks to end a four-game losing streak to the Wolverines, but the Big Ten Championship and the College Football Playoff far outweigh the regular-season game against Michigan. It’s clear that not much will be known until Saturday’s availability report is released before the Rutgers game. Until then, speculation will continue to run rampant regarding the two Ohio State wide receivers, who have combined for more than 1,600 receiving yards this season.
Ohio State Buckeyes News
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