It is finally rivalry week, and it does not get any bigger than Ohio State vs. Michigan, but will the Buckeyes be without wide receiver Carnell Tate? Tate had missed several games due to an undisclosed injury, with Ohio State missing one of the most crucial components of their passing game without him. With the Buckeyes trying to finish the season undefeated, against bitter rivals Michigan, no less, is he healthy enough to return?
Head coach Ryan Day had been very coy about his injured players for weeks now, frustrating many, as he refused to talk about their exact return dates, only giving hints about their progress. However, ESPN’s Pete Thamel has revealed that Carnell Tate will, in fact, be expected to play for Ohio State on Saturday. He also revealed that teammate Jeremiah Smith will also be expected to return from injury during that game.
Tate has already missed three straight games due to an undisclosed lower-body injury that he had suffered during that win over Purdue last Nov. 9. He reportedly “felt something” as the team was warming up, with Day deciding not to play him during that game. Meanwhile, Smith was seen limping during the first half of that win over UCLA, with him being taken out and never returning, with the wide receiver missing the Rutgers game soon after.
With both Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate now confirmed to return to the field, QB1 Julian Sayin now has better options to throw to during the rivalry game, which is expected to be intense and emotional. This also means that the No. 1-ranked team in college football is now back to full strength and will be a massive threat heading into the College Football Playoffs.
Carnell Tate Still Listed As Questionable In the Final Injury Report
Despite Thanel’s report that both Carnell Tate and Jeremiah Smith are expected to play against the Wolverines at Ann Arbor, the official listing for them ahead of this Big Ten rivalry game is still “questionable.” This means that there is still a chance that the team decides to continue resting them despite how important this game is.
The final Ohio State injury report also confirmed that seven Ohio State players, including Logan George, Malik Hartford, De’zie Jones, Mason Maggs, Quincy Porter, Max Roy and Ahmed Tounkara, will all be out of the game.
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