Ohio State's Carnell Tate out vs. UCLA

Ohio State will be without one of the top offensive players this weekend against UCLA. Wide receiver Carnell Tate, who has emerged as an important target for quarterback Julian Sayin, along with sophomore Jeremiah Smith, remains sidelined due to an injury.

Tate did not take the field against Purdue last week despite not being listed on the team's pre-game availability report and suiting up. Tate was on the sideline in uniform but did not play in the game. According to head coach Ryan Day, the decision to hold Tate out stemmed from "some tightness" the receiver felt during warmups, prompting a precautionary approach.

Asked for an update on Tate during his Tuesday press conference, Day said there was none. Tate was not seen after practice on Wednesday, although most of the Buckeye wide receivers were off the field by the time the media entered the facility.

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Tate's absence marks a significant adjustment for the Scarlet and Gray's offensive game plan. This season, he has steadily proven himself as a go-to option downfield, and his athleticism stretches defenses. Tate is second on Ohio State with 39 receptions for 711 yards and seven touchdowns.

While the Buckeyes have plenty of talent at receiver, losing a player of Tate's caliber forces them to adapt. With Tate out against the Boilermakers, Smith caught a career-high 10 receptions for 137 yards and one touchdown. Tight end Max Klare had five catches for 59 yards. Receiver Bryson Rodgers hauled in two receptions for a career-high 30 yards. Branon Inniss had three catches for 36 yards and Mylan Graham managed one reception for 20 yards.

After emerging as a starter last season next to Smith and Emeka Egbuka, Tate has 109 catches for 1,709 yards and 12 touchdowns in his Scarlet and Gary career.

With Tate out, Ohio State will need the team's less-experienced receivers to step up yet again. While the Bruins have struggled defensively this year, they are in the top 30 nationally in pass defense, allowing only 185.6 yards per game through the air.

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