The countdown to "The Game" continues to trickle down, as the Ohio State Buckeyes attempt to break a four-year drought against the Michigan Wolverines Saturday in Ann Arbor.
Following the Buckeyes' 42-9 win over the Rutgers Scarlet Knights, coach Ryan Day was unsure of the return timelines for receivers Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate for the win-and-in regular season finale (with a Big Ten title berth awaiting) clash with the Wolverines.
“The only thing I’ll say, really, is that they’re day-to-day,” Day said after the win. “The staff and those guys are working really hard to get ready to play next week.”
According to Smith, in an exclusive clip released by "Down 2 Business," his status for Saturday is clear: bring it on.
“I’m feeling good,” Smith said. “You know, dealing with a little situation, injury-wise. But I should be good to go Saturday.”
This is a huge development as the Buckeyes try to swing the rivalry's momentum in their favor, as Smith is a top target for quarterback Julian Sayin.
Day said he has been proud of his team's resilience over the past several weeks, which is critical as the College Football Playoff looms.
“Our guys had a really good week of work in terms of focus, and it was an opportunity for guys to step up in different ways. Whether it was special teams or on offense, you know, nobody really flinched,” Day said. “Everyone was like, ‘Come on, let’s go play.’ I think that’s been the approach of this team and this coaching staff. It’ll be the same way this week.”
Day added that the objective, regardless of how ugly or clean it may wind up, is to take care of business.
“We know everything that comes with this game,” Day said. “We want to keep it as routine as we can and keep the guys focused on what we’ve worked on all year. And the No. 1 goal is to grade out a champion. We’ll come back in Sunday, we’ll grade this film, figure out who’s a champion in this one and quickly move on to the Wolverines.”
Having peace of mind that Smith is all but officially ready to go likely means the Buckeyes will try to target him early and often.
Now, the hype couldn't be more prevalent.