Jeremiah Smith’s Heisman case just got a little stronger, and it happened because of news out of Miami.
Smith has been the engine for Ohio State all season, and the numbers back it up. He has 62 catches for 1,067 yards and 13 touchdowns, putting him fifth, second and second in the country in those categories. For much of the year, he’s looked like the best player in college football, and with Ohio State leaning on him so heavily, the Heisman conversation has followed.
Now the path looks even clearer after Malachi Toney suffered a high ankle sprain in practice that will require surgery. Toney is out for the rest of the regular season, though he could return for the CFP.
That matters because Toney, who plays for the No. 1-ranked Miami Hurricanes, was Smith’s biggest competition in the receiver race. The argument for Toney was simple: he was putting up big numbers while playing for an undefeated team sitting atop the CFP rankings.
Winning was his strongest card. With this injury, that edge is gone, and so is his chance to keep piling up the stats needed to match Smith.
The injury also changes the picture for Ohio State. Toney is the best weapon Miami has, and without him, the Hurricanes could start slipping. If that happens, it could help the Buckeyes’ case for a higher seed in the College Football Playoff.
Of course, Ohio State still has work to do just to get in. Another loss would likely knock the Buckeyes out, since they don’t have much room left on the schedule to climb back. But a win over Oregon on Saturday would give them another ranked victory and keep the playoff door open.
For Ohio State to keep winning, Smith has to keep playing like the Heisman front-runner he’s been all year. The Buckeyes need him more than ever now that Luke Fahey is the starting quarterback.
Even if Tavien St. Clair takes over at some point, the offense still runs through Smith.
That’s the reality for Ohio State: if the Buckeyes are going to make the playoff and have any chance at a title, Smith has to keep being the unstoppable force he’s been all season. He’s already the best receiver in college football, and with Toney sidelined, that much feels even harder to argue against.
For Smith, the Heisman would be the perfect capstone to a Buckeye career. If he doesn’t win that, or another national championship, he won’t be remembered the way he should be - as the best Ohio State football player I’ve ever seen.
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Muhammad is still expected to make it to Ann Arbor for Michigans final home game of the season, a good sign that the relationship remains strong even with other schools trying to stay in the mix. His pledge also gives the Wolverines another important piece in a class that is already helping shape how the 2027 rankings look, and it leaves Michigan in position to keep pushing for more stability on the defensive front. [Read more 🡒]
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The matchup is set for Michigan Stadium, with Peacock and NBCSN carrying the broadcast, so the stage is already big enough without any extra help. Still, bringing in a famous Wolverine gives the rivalry another layer of buzz, and it is the kind of detail that tends to travel quickly once the pregame attention starts to build. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan Showed Something Against UConn That Wolverines Fans Will Notice
Michigans trip to TD Garden ended with an 85-77 loss to UConn, but the Wolverines still left with something to build on in a rematch of the 2026 national championship. Trey McKenney was the headliner for Michigan, pouring in a career-high 22 points and giving the Wolverines a scoring punch they needed against a high-level opponent.
J.P. Estrella and Roddy Gayle Jr. also made meaningful contributions, which mattered in a game that asked Michigan to answer when UConn pushed the pace and the pressure. The result still counts in the loss column, but the performance offered a glimpse of what this group can be when it is balanced and aggressive, and now the attention shifts to a home date with Marquette. [Read more 🡒]