College football Week 13 straight-up picks
Before The Snap’s Week 13 picks include USC-Oregon, BYU-Cincinnati, Pitt-Georgia Tech, Missouri-Oklahoma and Utah-Kansas State.
Ohio State football will not have both of its top wide receivers when Julian Sayin and the Buckeyes’ offense head out for their first series against Rutgers.
According to Ohio State’s weekly availability report, the Buckeyes have ruled out star wide receivers Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate for their Week 13 noon ET kickoff against the Scarlet Knights inside Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio.
The nature of the injuries that Smith and Tate are dealing with are undisclosed, according to Joey Kaufman of The Columbus Dispatch. It was first reported by ESPN’s Pete Thamel that the Buckeyes were expected to be without their top two wide receivers.
Both Smith and Tate have been go-to targets this season for Sayin, who has the second-best winning odds for the Heisman Trophy according to BetMGM. Smith enters Week 13 leading all Ohio State receivers with 902 receiving yards and 10 receiving touchdowns on 69 catches, while Tate has 711 receiving yards and seven touchdowns on 39 catches this season.
“They’re working hard to get back on the field,” Ohio State coach Ryan Day said on his wide receivers on Nov. 19. “That’s it. That’s what they’re focused on. I don’t have much more of an update.”
Here’s the latest on Smith and Tate ahead of Ohio State’s Week 13 game:
Will Jeremiah Smith play today? State for Ohio State WR against Rutgers
No. For the first time in his career, Smith has been ruled out of Ohio State’s Week 13 game against Rutgers.
Jeremiah Smith injury update
As noted by the Columbus Dispatch, part of the USA TODAY Network, Smith exited in the second quarter of Ohio State’s win last week against UCLA with an apparent injury. He was later seen limping on the sideline at Ohio Stadium.
He’s been considered day-to-day by Ohio State over this past week.
Will Carnell Tate play today? State for Ohio State WR against Rutgers
Similar to Smith, Tate has been ruled out against Rutgers according to Ohio State’s injury report. It will be the third consecutive game that Tate has missed due to an injury.
Carnell Smith injury update
Tate has missed each of the last two games for Ohio State with an undisclosed lower-body injury. He was held out of Ohio State’s 34-10 win over Purdue back on Saturday, Nov. 8 as a precaution due to the 6-foot-3 wide receiver feeling something in warmups.
He was ruled out in Week 12 against UCLA as well.
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