The Ohio State Buckeyes will be without their top two wide receivers, Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate, for their Week 13 game against Rutgers.
According to the team’s official availability report, both star receivers have been ruled out for the noon ET kickoff at Ohio Stadium in Columbus. The nature of their injuries remains undisclosed.
The absence of Smith and Tate presents a significant challenge for quarterback Julian Sayin, a leading candidate for the Heisman Trophy. The duo has been instrumental to the Buckeyes’ offensive success this season. Smith leads the team with 69 catches for 902 yards and 10 touchdowns, while Tate has recorded 39 receptions for 711 yards and seven touchdowns.
This will be the first game Smith has missed in his career. He sustained an apparent injury during the second quarter of last week’s win against UCLA and was later seen limping on the sideline.
For Tate, this marks his third consecutive missed game due to an undisclosed lower-body injury. The issue first arose during warmups before Ohio State’s 34-10 victory over Purdue on November 8.
Earlier in the week, head coach Ryan Day provided a brief update on their status, stating, “They’re working hard to get back on the field. That’s it. That’s what they’re focused on.”
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