Ohio State’s Jeremiah Smith keeps pushing the numbers into territory that almost doesn’t look real.
Against Iowa on Saturday afternoon, the Buckeyes’ star wideout piled up 11 catches, 202 yards and two touchdowns, adding another huge chapter to a season that has already taken off at a historic pace. Through five games, Smith has 44 receptions for 823 yards and nine scores, production that puts him on track for 105 catches, 1,975 yards and 23 touchdowns over a 12-game season.
That kind of finish would leave him just 85 yards shy of the best single-season receiving total in college football history, the mark Trevor Insley set for Nevada in 1999.
What makes Smith’s run even more striking is how routine he has made it look. He is producing big plays every week without much visible strain, and at this point he has reached the kind of level where Ohio State’s offense feels tied to whether he is involved in the snap.
Saturday also marked a milestone that cements just how much ground he has covered already. Smith became Ohio State’s triple-crown receiver, owning the program career records for catches, yards and touchdowns. And with 11 more games potentially still ahead of him, those numbers could keep climbing.
His importance to the Buckeyes showed up clearly against Iowa. Smith accounted for 42 percent of Ohio State’s offense on Saturday, and over the full season he has been responsible for 29.5 percent of the team’s total offense while playing just 15 of a possible 20 quarters.
At this point, the production has put Smith on a fast track to the Heisman Trophy. If he stays healthy and keeps playing at this level, there is little reason to think anyone can slow Ohio State down.
The Buckeyes will need him again soon. Maryland comes next in what the source calls a trap game, followed by a four-game stretch against Indiana, USC, Oregon and Northwestern.
In Other News...
Jaxon Smith-Njigba Just Added Another Chapter To Ohio State History
Jaxon Smith-Njigba turned Ohio Stadium into a showcase on Saturday, piling up 11 catches for 206 yards and two touchdowns as No. 5 Ohio State handled No. 14 Iowa, 31-14. It was the kind of afternoon that reminded everyone why the Buckeyes have long been a factory for elite receivers, with Smith-Njigba producing the kind of big-play outing that can change a game in a hurry.
By the time the dust settled, Smith-Njigba had moved into first place in Ohio State history in receptions, receiving touchdowns and receiving yards, adding another line to a program record book already crowded with stars. Julian Sayin helped make it possible, completing 20 of 27 passes for 324 yards and three touchdowns without an interception, giving the Buckeyes a passing performance that kept Iowa chasing from start to finish. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State Can Turn Homecoming Into A Bigger Big Ten Problem
Ohio State heads into homecoming weekend still carrying the momentum of its 31-14 win over Iowa, and Maryland is next on the schedule with the Buckeyes expected to keep rolling. The matchup gives Ohio State a chance to protect its place in the Big Ten race while also putting another conference opponent in a difficult spot on a festive weekend in Columbus.
Maryland arrives with a lot more pressure attached than the usual road trip, which is part of what makes this game worth watching beyond the spread. Mike Locksleys program has been struggling again this season, and another rough outing against Ohio State would only deepen the questions around where things are headed for the Terrapins. [Read more 🡒]
Iowa Just Got A Harsh Reminder Of The Gap They Face
Ohio State left Iowa with more than another conference win after Saturdays 31-14 result. The Buckeyes latest showing was enough to push them to the top of ESPNs FPI rankings, another sign that the national machine in Columbus is rolling early and creating separation from the rest of the Big Ten pack.
Jeremiah Smith was at the center of it again, turning the trip into a showcase performance and further underscoring why the Buckeyes are built so differently right now. Iowa got a reminder of the gap it still has to close, while Ohio State kept adding to the sense that its ceiling is rising with each week. [Read more 🡒]