Jeremiah Smith’s Heisman push got a noticeable boost this week, and it came from news involving a player who had been part of the conversation right alongside him.
Smith has spent most of the season looking like the best player in college football, and his production backs it up. He has 62 catches for 1,067 yards and 13 touchdowns, numbers that rank fifth, second and second in the country.
For Ohio State, he has been the one steady piece on offense all year, and the Buckeyes would have at least three losses without him. That kind of season has made him the Heisman favorite.
Now, with Oregon coming up, the path looks a little clearer after Malachi Toney suffered a high ankle sprain in practice that will require surgery. Toney will miss the rest of the regular season, though he could return for the CFP.
That matters because Toney, who plays for No. 1 Miami, was one of the biggest challengers to Smith’s case.
The Hurricanes’ undefeated record and top spot in the CFP rankings were Toney’s strongest arguments. Winning was his best card to play.
With the injury, he no longer has the chance to keep stacking the kind of numbers that would support that case.
For Ohio State, the development could also matter beyond the Heisman race. If Miami starts slipping without Toney, that could help the Buckeyes’ case for a better College Football Playoff seed.
But first things first: Ohio State still has to get there. Another loss would likely knock the Buckeyes out, and they do not have much room left to climb with the rest of the schedule.
Beating Oregon on Saturday would at least give them another ranked win.
And if Ohio State is going to keep winning, Smith has to keep playing like the force he’s been all season. The Buckeyes need him more than ever with Luke Fahey now starting at quarterback.
Even if Tavien St. Clair eventually takes over, the formula does not change: Smith has to be the dominant weapon who can carry the offense.
There’s also the bigger picture around his place in Ohio State history. Smith has already put together a season that makes him look like the best receiver the program has ever had.
A Heisman Trophy would be the perfect finish to that run. If he doesn’t win that, or another national championship, he still won’t be remembered any differently by everyone who’s watched him closely.
In Other News...
Ohio States Oregon Matchup Just Got Complicated By Key Injury Changes
The build-up to Ohio States matchup with Oregon has taken on a different look after injuries started reshaping both sides of the field. The Buckeyes and Ducks were already bracing for a high-stakes game, but the latest injury updates have added another layer of uncertainty, with both teams now having to adjust their plans around key personnel changes before kickoff.
For Oregon, the biggest immediate concern is the status of running back Jordon Davison, who is expected to be out week-to-week with a lower-extremity injury. There is at least some encouraging news on the other side of the ball, with wide receiver Jeremiah McClellan probable to return from a foot injury, but the larger question remains how both teams will handle the ripple effects if the quarterback situation shifts again by game day. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio States Big Ten Path Now Comes Down To Tiebreaker Chaos
Ohio States Big Ten title path is still alive, but it has turned into the kind of standings puzzle that can make a November scoreboard-watcher reach for a calculator. The Buckeyes sit third in the conference, yet they remain in the mix for the championship game if they finish strong and get help from around the league, with the race tightening enough that a three-way tie could become part of the equation.
What makes it messy is how quickly the picture can shift from week to week. A tie involving Ohio State, Indiana and UCLA would send the league into a tiebreaker process built on common opponents and conference winning percentage, and the Buckeyes can still survive one more loss if the right results break their way elsewhere. Lose twice, though, and the margin for error shrinks to the point where Ohio State would need a lot of outside help just to stay in the conversation. [Read more 🡒]
USC Freshman Made Ohio States Loss Even Harder To Swallow
Mark Bowmans return gave USC another layer in its upset of Ohio State, and it came at a time when the Buckeyes could least afford to see the Trojans getting healthier. The freshman tight end had been out with a hamstring injury, but he was back on the field and made his presence felt even on a limited snap count, giving USC a useful target in the passing game while also helping as a blocker.
For Ohio State, the frustrating part is how quickly Bowman changed the feel of the game once he was available again. His 70-yard catch-and-run stood out as one of the biggest plays of the night, a reminder that USC was able to lean on a young player who can affect the game in more than one way. Even with his workload managed, Bowmans impact was enough to make the Buckeyes loss sting a little more. [Read more 🡒]