It doesn’t take much to stir up Ohio State-Michigan talk, and Jeremiah Smith has already given fans plenty to chew on.
Through five games, the Buckeyes’ star wideout has piled up 823 receiving yards on 44 catches with nine touchdowns. That works out to about 165 yards per game, which leads all wide receivers nationally.
The number that really jumps off the page, though, is how close that average comes to Michigan quarterback Bryce Underwood’s passing output. Underwood is at 176 passing yards per game, which ranks 99th in FBS.
Jeremiah Smith is nearly averaging more receiving yards per game than Bryce Underwood is averaging passing yards. pic.twitter.com/GvlbSMtK4G
That kind of split is bound to get attention, especially with The Game always looming in the background. Smith has been the center of Ohio State’s attack, and the production has been loud.
He went for 217 yards and four touchdowns against Illinois, then followed that with 206 yards and two scores at Iowa. The junior also already holds Ohio State’s career marks for receptions, receiving yards, and touchdown catches.
What makes Smith so hard to handle is the full package: size, speed, and the ability to win contested catches. Defenses have had no consistent answer for him yet.
Michigan, meanwhile, has been under a brighter and less flattering spotlight on offense. Underwood, a sophomore, has flashed as a dual-threat, but the inconsistency has been hard to ignore. His completion rate is below 60 percent, the downfield accuracy has been shaky, and turnovers have piled up with 4 interceptions against 5 touchdowns.
Michigan head coach Kyle Whittingham has pointed to more than just quarterback play, saying the offensive problems run deeper. Analyst and Wolverine-beater Urban Meyer called it “a train wreck,” and the issues have been tied to scheme fit and execution.
The numbers across the board tell the story. Michigan is averaging 23 points per game, which ranks 105th nationally. The Wolverines are 111th in passing at 180 yards per game, 100th in rushing, and 122nd in total offense among 138 FBS teams.
Ohio State’s profile looks much stronger: 14th in scoring, 2nd in passing, and 7th in total offense. The one softer spot is the run game, where the Buckeyes sit 71st nationally.
For now, Smith’s pace stands as one of the most eye-catching individual stories in the sport. For Michigan fans, it’s also a reminder of just how wide the gap looks on offense right now.
In Other News...
Michigan's Exhibition Opener Suddenly Carries Two Huge Roster Questions
Michigans first exhibition game arrives Sunday against Eastern Michigan, and it now has a little more intrigue than a typical preseason tune-up. Head coach Mike Boynton Jr. said Roddy Gayle is expected to play, barring any last-minute changes, and the Wolverines are also hoping Jalen Reed will be cleared in time as they begin sorting out the early shape of the rotation.
The timing matters because this is the start of a short exhibition runway that also includes Oregon State and Houston before the regular season opens Nov. 2 against Oakland. Even in games that do not count, getting Gayle on the floor and Reed available would give Michigan a better read on how quickly the roster can settle, and it would answer two questions the staff would clearly prefer not to carry much longer. [Read more 🡒]
Michigans First Look Comes With Two Rotation Questions Still Looming
Michigan got a clearer picture of its preseason opener picture this week as Mike Boynton Jr. offered an update on availability before the matchup with Eastern Michigan. Several familiar names, including Moustapha Thiam, Roddy Gayle Jr., Kenny Noland and Ricky Liburd, are expected to be in the mix, giving the Wolverines a chance to start sorting out roles and combinations as the exhibition schedule begins.
Even so, the roster still has a few moving parts. Oscar Goodman and Jalen Reed remain uncertain, while Marcus Moller, Lincoln Cosby and Brandon McCoy Jr. are out for health and injury reasons, leaving a couple of rotation spots unsettled as Michigan tries to get a first real look at how its depth will hold up. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan Just Sent A Big Message In The In-State QB Race
Michigan has made another move to keep the states top talent close to home, this time extending a scholarship offer to Traverse City West quarterback Brayden Tillman. The rising prospect has drawn attention for the traits that tend to play well in Ann Arbor: size, arm strength, pocket presence and enough athletic ability to fit into what Michigan likes to do offensively.
For a staff that continues to emphasize in-state recruiting, the offer is as much about relationships as it is about evaluation. Tillman gives the Wolverines another local name to track in the quarterback conversation, and it also reinforces how seriously Michigan is treating the battle for elite homegrown talent as the cycle unfolds. [Read more 🡒]