Top-ranked Ohio State faces Rutgers with uncertainty over star receivers

By Canadian Press on November 20, 2025.

Despite being favored by more than four touchdowns, top-ranked Ohio State does have some concerns going into Saturday’s matchup against Rutgers.

The status of star wide receivers Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate remain unknown going into the Buckeyes’ final tune-up before facing arch-rival Michigan on Nov. 29.

Smith is one of the nation’s top receivers with 69 receptions for 902 yards and 10 touchdowns. The sophomore played the first half of last week’s 48-10 victory over UCLA, but was on the bench during the second half and appeared to favor his right leg.

Tate has 39 catches for 711 yards and seven TDs despite missing the last two games due to what has been described as lower leg tightness.

Coach Ryan Day didn’t have much of an update on his two star players on Wednesday.

“They’re working hard to get back on the field. That’s it. That’s what they’re focused on,” he said.

If Day decides to rest both players, the Buckeyes (10-0, 7-0 Big Ten) still have plenty of depth in the passing game. Senior Brandon Inniss had a team-high six catches last week and tight end Max Klare added five.

Day and offensive coordinator Brian Hartline would also try to be more balanced. The Buckeyes rushed for 222 yards and averaged 6.7 yards per carry against the Bruins. Freshman Bo Jackson has four 100-yard games this season.

On deck before The Game

The Buckeyes have an eight-game winning streak in matchups before facing Michigan, and an average winning margin of 26 points in the five games under Ryan Day.

Ohio State’s last loss in its 11th regular-season game came in 2015, when then-No. 9 Michigan State posted a 17-14 victory.

Rutgers coach Greg Schiano, who was Ohio State’s defensive coordinator from 2016 through ’18, isn’t expecting the Buckeyes to fall victim of being in a trap game.

“I’d love to tell you yes, but I don’t think I can tell you that because historically when you look back, there hasn’t been any kind of significant better or worse in that game,” Schiano said.

Besides trying to beat “The Team Up North” for the first time since 2019, Day has his team focused on two larger goals. Besides trying to repeat as national champions, the Buckeyes haven’t reached the Big Ten championship game since 2019.

“We don’t take anything for granted. We don’t make any assumptions,” Day said. “Every Saturday an opportunity to get to Indianapolis is on the line. That’s the way it is here right now. There’s nobody on this team that’s been to Indy right now and they know it. And so like that’s the edge. Wake up in the morning every day looking to reach our goals. So whoever we play we play.”

Back to the grind

The Scarlet Knights (5-5, 2-5) had a bye last week after beating Maryland 35-20 on Nov. 8. Antwan Raymond rushed for 240 yards, the most in the Big Ten this season.

Raymond is second in the conference with 1,000 yards. Quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis is second in passing yards (2,705) and receiver KJ Duff is second with 923 receiving yards. The last time the Scarlet Knights had a season with a 3,000-yard passer, 1,000-yard rusher and 1,000-yard receiver was 2007.

Block party

Rutgers is fourth nationally with three blocked punts, while Ohio State had a blocked punt last week.

“Well, they put a ton of pressure on you. And that’s felt by everybody,” Day said. “I think when you look at even last week when we put some pressure at the end of the half, the punter could obviously feel that and didn’t maybe kick it exactly how he wanted, which led to, I think, the fact that the ball was blocked, the punt was blocked. So I think it’s a mindset that they’re going to apply pressure, and that’s their philosophy. Everyone has their own philosophy, and they do a great job of it. Those guys give great effort, and so we’ve got to be on our game.”

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Joe Reedy, The Associated Press

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