The Ohio State Buckeyes’ entire season has been a countdown to Saturday’s showdown in Ann Arbor. Now, the time is almost up. The Buckeyes haven’t beaten Michigan since November 30, 2019, and head coach Ryan Day would very much like to change that. But before that, Ohio State insider Austin Ward dropped a bittersweet injury update about their formidable duo, Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate.

On his morning podcast with Zach Boren, Ward said he’s “very confident” that star freshman Jeremiah Smith will play against Michigan, but Tate’s status remains “unclear.”

Having both of them on the field is absolutely crucial for Ohio State. They have combined for 1,613 yards and 17 of the team’s 28 touchdowns together, accounting for 54 percent of the team’s passing yards this season. Moreover, against Michigan’s 10th-ranked FBS defense in yards per rush allowed (2.98), the Buckeyes can’t really use their running game, averaging 254 yards as they did against a weak Rutgers rush defense. 

With both their top receivers in the lineup, Day will be able to spread the opponent out for a more balanced offense using its passing game since the Wolverines rank 35th in pass efficiency defense. 

The update from Ward comes after Dave Biddle of Bucknuts 247 Sports claimed on Monday that it looked like the Buckeyes would have both receivers.

However, there is still hope for the Buckeye Nation.

“The only thing I’ll say really is they are day-to-day, and the staff and those guys are working really hard to get ready to play next week,” Day told reporters Saturday night after the Rutgers win.

While Day gave no concrete update and stuck to the classic coach-speak, Smith went on the record about his status.

“I should be good to go Saturday,” Smith, a freshman All-American last season, revealed on Ohio State safety Caleb Downs’ weekly podcast. Tate has been rather silent about his availability, though.

Smith’s injury appears to be a lower-leg issue that cropped up during the UCLA game, where he was seen moving gingerly on the sidelines before being shut down for the second half. Tate’s situation is a bit more mysterious. He suffered what Day described as “lower leg tightness” during pregame warmups at Purdue and hasn’t played since, despite wanting to suit up against the Boilermakers.​​ He was kept out as a precaution because, as Day said, they have a lot of football ahead of them. But they aren’t the only injury kink in OSU’s perfect record.

Ohio State lost defensive back Lorenzo Styles Jr. to a shoulder injury during their 42-9 blowout win against Rutgers. Day said Styles will practice this week, but didn’t have any further updates on his health. His flexibility to play both starting nickel corner and safety helps confuse quarterbacks, giving Day an added advantage. This is the second time he’s missed time due to a shoulder injury. He did not play against Illinois and Wisconsin in mid-October.

On the home turf, the Wolverines, who are looking for a fifth consecutive win against their rival, could be missing three of their six captains: Safety Rod Moore, fullback/tight end Max Bredeson, and linebacker Ernest Hausmann.

Whether they will play may not be announced until Saturday morning’s official availability report, released in advance of the game (noon ET, Fox). However, the fact that Day held both receivers out against Rutgers despite Ohio State being undefeated and chasing a Big Ten championship game berth speaks volumes about how seriously they’re taking these injuries, unlike what the history suggests.

Same script, different year

Austin Ward’s cautiously optimistic update has Buckeye fans breathing a little easier about Jeremiah Smith. However, the entire situation has an uncomfortable feeling of déjà vu for anyone present for Ohio State’s 2022 season. Dillon Davis from the Delaware Gazette appeared on The Bill and Doug Show this week and put his concern level for the receiver injuries at 40 out of 100. 

“One of the reasons I put it at a 40, and maybe a little bit less than that, was because you guys were in press conferences with Ryan when we talked about Jaxon Smith-Njigba back in 2022,” Davis explained, referencing the star receiver who never played another snap for the Buckeyes after Day downplayed his injury status. 

Smith-Njigba returned against Iowa on October 22, 2022, after missing several games with a hamstring injury, caught a couple of passes, and then limped off the field. When reporters pressed Day about whether JSN had suffered a new injury, the coach insisted it was just a pitch count situation. According to the head coach, Smith-Njigba was on track to play against Penn State. However, JSN never suited up for Ohio State again, eventually shutting it down for the season and declaring for the 2023 NFL Draft.​

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The parallels to how Day is handling Smith and Tate’s current injuries are striking. And it’s why Davis said he understands why people are concerned. Day’s vague “day-to-day” updates feel eerily similar to the 2022 playbook. He refuses to provide specifics and leaves everyone guessing until game time. But isn’t that expected when it is against a rival like the Wolverines and for a crucial perfect record?