Jeremiah Smith kept rewriting Ohio State’s record book in the Buckeyes’ 42-19 win over Illinois, and the Associated Press rewarded him Monday by naming him National Player of the Week.
The junior wide receiver turned the Big Ten opener at Ohio Stadium into a showcase, finishing with 12 catches for 217 yards and four touchdowns. Every one of those numbers was a career best, and the four scoring grabs matched the program’s single-game record. Ohio State also stretched its winning streak over Illinois to 10 straight, with the Illibuck Trophy staying in Columbus, where it has resided since 2008.
Smith did most of his damage before halftime. He had eight receptions for 150 yards and three touchdowns in the first half alone, and 123 of those yards came in the opening quarter.
That total is the most by any player in a Big Ten game over the past 20 seasons. He also became the third Power Four receiver since 2015 with at least three games of 150 receiving yards and two touchdowns in a half, joining DeVonta Smith, who did it four times at Alabama, and Ja’Marr Chase, who did it three times at LSU.
The yardage total pushed Smith into rare company at Ohio State. His 217 yards tied David Boston’s 1998 game against Michigan for sixth on the school’s single-game list, and he became the sixth Buckeye ever to go over 200 receiving yards in a game.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba still owns the program mark with 347 yards against Utah in the 2021 Rose Bowl, but Smith’s latest outing topped his previous high of 187 yards against Oregon on Jan. 1, 2025.
"If there's a better player in the country, I mean, I'm sure there's really good players out there, but just to watch him out there the last couple of games, it's hard to imagine," head coach Ryan Day said of Smith after the win.
The performance only added to what has already been a huge start to the season. Smith leads the nation with 617 receiving yards, is tied for the national lead with seven touchdown catches, and ranks fourth with 33 receptions.
He’s also stacking milestones at a relentless pace. Smith now has 3,175 career receiving yards and passed Michael Jenkins’ 2,898 for the Ohio State record against Kent State on Sept.
- He is the only Buckeye with more than 3,000 career receiving yards and moved into the top 10 in Big Ten history on Saturday.
To climb to ninth, he needs 131 more yards. To reach the conference record, he needs 614 to catch Purdue’s John Standeford, who finished with 3,788.
More marks are within reach as well. Smith has 196 career receptions and needs 10 to pass Emeka Egbuka’s school record of 205.
He has 34 touchdown catches, one shy of Chris Olave’s Ohio State record of 35, and he is tied for fifth in Big Ten history in that category. He also logged his 14th 100-yard game on Saturday, which ties David Boston for second in program history behind Marvin Harrison Jr.’s 15.
In Other News...
Ohio State Defense Faces A Road Test Iowa Can Expose
Ohio State heads into a ranked road matchup at Iowa with the kind of test that can sharpen a defense or expose a flaw. The Buckeyes will have to deal with a difficult environment and an Iowa offense that leans on quarterback Hank Brown, a productive backfield and a defense led by linebacker Cam Buffington and safety Zach Lutmer, while the bigger worry for Ohio State is whether it can hold up against the run and stay sound in coverage against tight ends.
The Hawkeyes have enough moving parts to make this more than a routine Big Ten trip, especially at home where the crowd can turn every series into a grind. Ohio States defensive front will be under pressure to set the tone early, because if Iowa can keep the Buckeyes guessing and force them to chase the game, this matchup could become a lot more uncomfortable than the rankings suggest. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State Defense Isnt In Trouble But One Concern Isnt Going Away
Ohio States defense has spent enough time under the microscope already this fall, and a former Buckeye who has been watching the unit closely sees a group with real room to grow rather than a unit in panic mode. He pointed to the kind of issues that can show up early in a season, including miscommunications and the absence of veteran star power, while still saying defensive coordinator Matt Patricia remains effective in his job. He also gave credit to Illinois quarterback Katin Houser for making the defense work for it.
The bigger takeaway, though, is that the concerns do not appear to be structural in his view. He expects the Buckeyes defense to keep improving and believes it will be good by the end of the season, even if the ceiling may not be quite elite. For a program used to treating every defensive hiccup as a minor crisis, that is a useful reminder that some early-season problems can be real without being fatal. [Read more 🡒]
Ryan Day Sounds Different As Ohio State Heads Into Kinnick
Ryan Day spent part of the week laying out where Ohio State stands as it heads to Kinnick Stadium, and the conversation touched just about every corner of the roster. He gave updates on player availability, pointed to Julian Sayins continued growth, and said the running backs have made progress as the Buckeyes keep sorting out roles for Jeremiah Smith, Khary Wilder and Kyle Parker. It was the kind of check-in that comes with a road game like this, where the details matter and the margin for error tends to shrink.
Kinnick has a way of making even experienced teams feel uneasy, and Day acknowledged the challenge while framing Ohio States current state as a product of steady development since the season began. He also left open a few questions about how the lineup will look once the Buckeyes get through the week, including one involving Legend Bey and how much he can get done in practice before a decision has to be made. [Read more 🡒]