The highly anticipated week has arrived for the Ohio State Buckeyes (11-0) as they prepare to face their bitter rival, Michigan. While the team looks like one of the best in the country, there is serious concern over the availability of star wide receivers Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate for Saturday’s critical game.

Both players have been dealing with injuries, with Tate sidelined for the last three games and Smith getting removed from the UCLA game on November 15. The status of these two wideouts is crucial, as their inability to play could significantly hamper the Buckeyes’ offense.

The news, however, appears to be trending positive.

Jeremiah Smith himself gave an encouraging update on a clip from the “Downs to Business” segment: “I’m feeling pretty good despite dealing with an injury situation, but I should be good to go for Saturday,” Smith said.

“I Should Be Good To Go Saturday” 👀

The Jeremiah Smith Episode drops Weds 11/26 🔥 pic.twitter.com/jyJPlRcMkI

— Downs 2 Business (@downs2business) November 25, 2025

Head Coach Ryan Day echoed this optimism on the “Buckeye Roundtable” show, confirming both players are moving in the right direction.

Day stated, “They are. They’re going to continue to get some rest tonight, had a good day of rehab. So we’ll wake up in the morning and see how they’re doing, but nobody wants to play more than those two guys.”

Getting Smith and Tate back is vital for Ohio State. The Buckeyes have not defeated Michigan since 2019, suffering four consecutive losses. To secure a spot in the Big Ten title game, Ohio State absolutely must defeat the Wolverines on Saturday.

With the stakes this high, the presence of their top receivers could be the difference-maker the Buckeyes need to break the losing streak and finally reach the conference championship game.