Surprise Ohio State receiver receives record-setting grade in Minnesota victory

The Ohio State Buckeyes beat Minnesota 42-3, proving how lethal their offense can be in a myriad of areas.

Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Jeremiah Smith (4) gets a block from wide receiver Carnell Tate (17) on Minnesota Golden Gophers defensive back Darius Green (12) during the NCAA football game at Ohio Stadium in Columbus on Oct. 4, 2025. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Wide receiver Carnell Tate stole the show in Ohio State’s 42-3 victory against the Minnesota Golden Gophers on Saturday night.

Tate was Ohio State’s leading receiver, hauling in nine receptions for 183 yards and one touchdown. 

With stats like that, there should be no surprise that Tate was Pro Football Focus’s highest-graded Big Ten wide receiver with an 86.6 grade.

Highest Graded Big Ten WR from Week 6:

🌰 Carnell Tate, Ohio State: 86.6@OhioStateFB https://t.co/vTOX2quMDu pic.twitter.com/sDIFYzXhrV

— PFF College (@PFF_College) October 6, 2025

Saturday’s win against the Golden Gophers was quite literally a career day for Tate, who had his personal most receiving games in a game.

But Saturday’s win was not feast or famine offensively, as Jeremiah Smith caught six passes for 67 yards and a touchdown and freshman running back Bo Jackson dashed for 63 yards on 13 carries and added a touchdown of his own.

Tate leading the way for the Buckeyes in a Big Ten matchup displays how balanced this offense can be. When opposing defenses try to take away the threat of Smith, who remains one of the best players in college football, Ohio State can get other skill position players in the mix to pile up points on the scoreboard.

The junior wide receiver is on pace for a career year. He’s already caught 24 total passes for 435 yards and four touchdowns in five games. Just last season, Tate had four total touchdowns and 733 receiving yards.

Tate’s successful weekend preceded a stellar showcase of Ohio State wide receivers in the NFL. 

Tampa Bay Buccaneers rookie receiver Emeka Egbuka posted seven receptions for 163 yards and a touchdown. In the same game, Jaxson Smith-Njigba caught eight passes for 132 yards and one touchdown.

Ohio State fans will remember Egbuka and Smith-Njigba fondly from their playing days in Columbus. But neither NFL wide receiver was even the top option on the Buckeyes during their collegiate career.

Similarly, Tate is viewed as the second receiving option behind Smith. However, with performances like what he put together against Minnesota, the Chicago native has an opportunity to shoot up NFL Draft boards and make an impact right away. 

Egbuka and Smith-Njigba are both proof of how legendary Ohio State’s wide receiver development has become, and that’s encouraging for players like Tate to become a better NFL player than he already is in college. 

Still ranked as the No. 1 team in the nation, Ohio State’s schedule beefs up this weekend with a matchup against Illinois. They will need another balanced approach offensively, but their top-graded receiver, Tate, should certainly command the football moving forward.