Jeremiah Smith Turns Up the Heat Ahead of Cotton Bowl Clash with Miami
With the Cotton Bowl looming and a College Football Playoff semifinal berth on the line, Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith isn’t holding anything back. The Buckeyes and Hurricanes are set to square off under the bright lights of AT&T Stadium on New Year’s Eve, and the tension is already crackling. If there was any doubt that this matchup carried extra juice, Smith erased it with a few choice words that are sure to echo all the way down to South Florida.
Asked about Miami fans still bringing up the infamous 2003 national championship game-a game that ended in double overtime with a controversial pass interference call-Smith didn’t hesitate.
“They’re still worried about it 20 years later,” Smith said. “We got something coming for them New Year’s Eve.”
That’s not just confidence. That’s a shot across the bow.
And Smith didn’t stop there. When asked if he was concerned about late hits in what’s expected to be a physical, high-stakes showdown, the freshman phenom leaned into it.
“I’m not really worried about that because I’m probably the one that’s going to be doing it too,” he said. “I’m going to be a little chippy out there. I’m bringing it all this week.”
Let’s be clear: this isn’t just pregame bravado. It’s a tone-setter. Smith is a player who’s already made a name for himself with his play, and now he’s making it clear he’s not backing down from the moment-or the matchup.
But if Ohio State thinks Miami is going to be rattled by a little trash talk, they might want to review the tape from last week.
The Hurricanes just went into Kyle Field and slugged their way to a gritty 10-3 win over Texas A&M in the first playoff game in program history. It wasn’t pretty, but it was the kind of performance that wins championships: seven sacks, two interceptions, and a fourth-quarter touchdown drive that sealed it.
That win didn’t just punch Miami’s ticket to Arlington-it sent a message. This team can win ugly.
They can win on the road. And they’ll absolutely use your words against you.
Just ask Texas A&M offensive lineman Trey Zuhn. In the lead-up to the game, Zuhn was asked how the Aggies planned to deal with Miami’s defensive terror Rueben Bain Jr.
His response? Dismissive.
“I don’t think he is a threat that we need to worry about,” Zuhn said. “We will be able to handle him.”
Bain responded by wrecking the game. Three sacks.
Constant pressure. And after the game, the Hurricanes made sure to let everyone know they heard the noise-and they answered it.
That’s the kind of edge Miami is bringing into the Cotton Bowl. And now, thanks to Smith, they’ve got a fresh quote to pin on the locker room wall.
Of course, Ohio State isn’t Texas A&M. The Buckeyes are the No. 2 seed in the playoff for a reason. They’ve got one of the most complete rosters in the country, and Smith is just one of several explosive weapons on an offense that can light up the scoreboard in a hurry.
But this won’t be a friendly reunion. Not with history on the line.
Not with the scars of 2003 still lingering. And definitely not with Jeremiah Smith promising to “bring it all” when the ball kicks off at 7:30 p.m. on December 31.
The Cotton Bowl is shaping up to be more than just a playoff game-it’s a grudge match two decades in the making. And if the pregame chatter is any indication, neither side plans to leave quietly.