Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti opened rivalry week by handing Ohio State wideout Jeremiah Smith a rare kind of compliment: the kind that lands because Cignetti clearly means every word.
With Indiana and Ohio State set for their third meeting in the Curt Cignetti era this Saturday, the matchup already carries the feel of a heavyweight fight. Ryan Day’s Buckeyes took the first meeting two years ago in Ohio Stadium, then Indiana answered in last December’s Big Ten Championship game. Now the teams meet again in what amounts to the rubber match of a first best-of-three series between two of the country’s top programs.
Cignetti was asked about Smith on Monday, and he said the sophomore has already taken another step from where he was a year ago. Cignetti called him a "freak" and also noted that Indiana has two very good receivers of its own, yet Smith still separates himself easily.
That kind of straight talk is part of what makes Cignetti stand out. He doesn’t dress things up, and he doesn’t sound like he’s trying to manage a headline. So when he gives Smith that level of praise, it says plenty about how Smith looks to opposing coaches once they get deep into the tape.
For Buckeye fans, none of this is a shock. Smith has already built a reputation as one of the hardest players to slow down, and the production backs it up. In the first two games against Indiana, the Hoosiers split the results, with Smith held to 34 yards on three catches in one meeting and then erupting for eight catches and 144 yards in the Big Ten Championship last year.
He still hasn’t scored against Indiana, and the Hoosiers have at least done a respectable job of making him work in those games. But this season has looked different. Smith has been flat-out unstoppable early on, hard to cover and even harder to bring down once the ball finds him.
Last week against Maryland, though, there were moments when the Terrapins did a decent job covering him down the field. The touchdowns came on plays that were barely beyond and behind the line of scrimmage, and Smith turned them into big gains with pure athleticism.
Indiana may have a teaching point from that tape, but the larger truth remains unchanged: somebody has to line up and stop him. That’s easier said than done when, as Cignetti put it, "there is no one like him."
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Ohio State Heads Into Indiana Showdown With Big Lineup Questions
Ohio State heads into its matchup with Indiana facing some early lineup uncertainty, with offensive lineman Austin Siereveld ruled out because of a non-football illness and running back JaKobi Jackson unavailable after suffering an ankle injury. Those absences alone would matter in a Big Ten game this size, but they are part of a larger injury picture for the Buckeyes, who have several other players still listed as questionable.
Indiana, meanwhile, has a much shorter injury report, with only two players listed. For Ohio State, the challenge now is less about the opponents health and more about how much flexibility the Buckeyes can preserve as they sort through the final availability questions before kickoff. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State Freshman Legend Bey Suddenly Has A Real Chance To Earn Trust
An unexpected shakeup in the backfield has opened the door a little wider for Legend Bey. With Ja'Kobi Jackson ruled out for the upcoming game against Indiana and Isaiah West listed as questionable, Ohio State may need to lean on its freshman running back more than it had planned. The Buckeyes are also dealing with Austin Siereveld being out, which adds another layer of strain to the offensive line depth and could shape how the offense handles the ground game.
For Bey, this is the kind of moment that can change how a staff views a young player in a hurry. More snaps against Indiana would not just be about filling a need in the moment, but about showing he can be trusted if the Buckeyes have to keep adjusting on the fly. Ohio State has managed its backfield carefully so far, but the injury picture now gives Bey a real opening to make his case. [Read more 🡒]
Jeremiah Smith Just Gave Ohio State Fans A New Ranking Debate
ESPNs latest ranking stirred up a familiar kind of college football debate, and this one comes with a fresh Ohio State twist. The network put together a top-60 list of the best wide receivers in the past 50 years, blending talent and production, and it included some heavy company in Larry Fitzgerald, DeVonta Smith and Justin Blackmon.
Jeremiah Smith made the cut as the lone active college receiver on the list, which is already a notable honor for a player still early in his career. For Buckeyes fans, it is the kind of recognition that says plenty about how high Smiths ceiling already looks, even if the bigger conversation around where he fits historically is still very much ongoing. [Read more 🡒]