The Buckeyes headed into their Purdue matchup carrying a heavy injury load. Ohio State tested its depth with eight players officially out, including key defenders Logan George and Malik Hartford, along with backup right guard Josh Padilla on offense. But Ryan Day feels a bit optimistic on one O-line return, dropping a relieving update on Padilla.

“We don’t think it will be long-term. We’re hoping to get him back next week,” Ryan Day said about Padilla. “We’ll continue to look at it next week, but if he’s not back next week, he should be back in two weeks.” Day was fast enough to capitalize on how the missing pieces really showed the weakness that OSU never realized they had. “Asked about the offensive line, Day said the #Buckeyes wanted to run the ball. ‘For the most part, it was efficient. It wasn’t great,'” OSU writer Patrcick Murphy posted on X. Padilla suffered an injury during the previous game against Penn State, which forced him out of the Purdue matchup.

Padilla had been a consistent presence, logging 66 snaps over the Buckeyes’ last four games, including a season-high 26 snaps in a win at Wisconsin on Oct. 18, according to Pro Football Focus. His absence meant the offensive line had to adapt quickly and flow without one of its vital cogs. That’s when right guard Tegra Tshabola took his place. But even with backup, things weren’t that easy. Boilers’ kicker Spencer Porath put up the first points with a field goal at 4:23 in the first quarter. Then things got a little tense.

Purdue started driving deep into Ohio State territory, reaching the OSU 27 after a 15-yard facemask call on the Buckeyes right before the two-minute warning. Another flag, this time for roughing the passer, pushed the Boilermakers to the 8. A few moments later, Purdue cashed in with an 8-yard touchdown pass to cut it to 34–10 with 1:45 to go. Purdue’s only scoring drive in the second half got a big boost from two Ohio State penalties. One was a 15-yard facemask, and the second was a roughing-the-passer penalty, which helped them get into scoring range quickly.

The injuries played a major role for Purdue in taking advantage to exploit the backup players, with their receivers drawing pass interference flags. Though the Buckeyes snagged a 34-10 win, the missing players were a major reminder of the past. Purdue genuinely capitalized on Ohio State’s vulnerabilities in the 2018 upset (49-20), a game where Ohio State was ranked No. 2.

What happened to Carnell Tate? 

Ryan Day’s squad was missing a lot of pieces facing the Boilers, no doubt. But the most crucial one had to be WR Carnell Tate. The OSU fans found Tate sidelined in a way nobody expected. He didn’t even see the field. The injury wasn’t the kind that grabs headlines with dramatic flair; rather, it came quietly during pregame warmups. Tate’s absence was felt, but not devastating.

Ryan Day’s take on Tate’s absence? “[Tate] wanted to play,” Day said. “But we’ve got a lot of football ahead of us.” Tate’s been a key player this season with 39 receptions, racking up 711 yards and seven touchdowns. Keeping him out was a strategic move to keep their top receiver fresh and healthy for what really matters down the road. Despite Tate’s absence, the Buckeyes didn’t miss a beat, cruising to a 34-10 victory over Purdue.

And at that point, Jeremiah Smith felt the maximum pressure. The 19-year-old had to stay in rhythm with the Buckeyes’ complete air game. Smith, as usual, led the running back room with 10 catches for 137 yards and 1 touchdown. This kind of depth is what makes Ohio State a formidable team. Although many players are returning in the coming week, it gives Ryan Day and the existing healthy starters some breathing room.