As the regular season winds down, No. 2 Ohio State has one more tune-up before the annual clash with arch-rival Michigan. First up: a home date with Rutgers on Saturday in Columbus. The bigger storyline, however, is the health of two of the Buckeyes’ most explosive playmakers.
Star wide receiver Carnell Tate is expected to miss the contest, while sensational sophomore Jeremiah Smith is officially listed as questionable. Running back C.J. Donaldson also carries a questionable tag heading into the weekend.
During his midweek media availability, head coach Ryan Day offered a short but direct assessment of where things stand with his two injured wideouts.
“They’re working hard to get back on the field,” Day said.
“That’s it. That’s what they’re focused on, I don’t really have much more of an update other than that.”
The potential absences come at a critical juncture for an offense that has leaned heavily on the Smith-Tate duo to fuel quarterback Julian Sayin’s Heisman Trophy push under Day and offensive coordinator Brian Hartline.
Smith currently sits third in the Big Ten in receiving yards, trailing only Rutgers’ KJ Duff and USC’s Makai Lemon. Tate, meanwhile, ranks eighth in the conference in the same category and has vaulted himself into legitimate first-round NFL Draft conversations with a breakout 2025 campaign.
Widely projected as a potential top five pick whenever he declares, Smith has lived up to every bit of the five-star hype that followed him to Columbus. Tate, once viewed as the complementary piece in the receiving corps, has elevated his game to the point that scouts now see him as a Day 1 selection as well.
With The Game against Michigan looming a week later in Ann Arbor, Ohio State would obviously prefer to have its full arsenal available against Rutgers. At the same time, preserving the long-term health of Smith and Tate for the rivalry showdown—and potentially beyond into the College Football Playoff—remains the priority.
For now, the Buckeyes will turn to their considerable depth at wide receiver and lean on a defense that has carried the load for much of the season. Kickoff against the Scarlet Knights is set for noon Eastern on Saturday at Ohio Stadium.
