Jeremiah Smith added another line to Ohio State’s record book on Saturday, and this one puts him in a place no Buckeye receiver has ever reached.
Against Kent State, with Ohio State already ahead 7-0 in the first quarter, Julian Sayin found Smith on the Buckeyes’ second drive. Smith took a slant, broke it upfield and turned it into a 23-yard gain, enough to push him past Michael Jenkins for the most receiving yards in Ohio State history.
Jenkins had held the mark at 2,898 receiving yards, a total he built from 2001 to 2003. Smith has now moved beyond that number and firmly into the top spot.
That kind of climb has felt inevitable almost since he arrived in Columbus. His Ohio State story started with Ryan Day fake fainting at the podium when he officially committed, and since then Smith has done exactly what the Buckeyes hoped he would do: produce, stay clean off the field and keep his focus on football in a time when plenty of players get distracted by money, cars and fame.
And he is not close to finished.
Smith is within five touchdowns of another major Ohio State standard, Chris Olave’s career mark of 35. He also sits 26 catches behind Emeka Egbuka in the chase for the Buckeyes’ receptions record.
Still, the numbers are almost beside the point with Smith. He is already being talked about as the best wide receiver in Ohio State history, and his place among the greats in college football is only getting stronger. The bigger goal, though, remains the same: he wants to win, and he’ll do whatever it takes to help Ohio State chase a National Championship in his final year.
For now, Saturday was about one more historic catch, and another reminder that Smith is turning a big reputation into a record-setting reality.
In Other News...
Jeremiah Smith Just Entered Rare Ohio State Receiver Company
Jeremiah Smith has already put himself in some rare Ohio State company, and the numbers behind it only underline how quickly he has become the centerpiece of the Buckeyes passing game. By moving past Michael Jenkins to become the schools all-time leading receiver, Smith added another mark to a resume that keeps growing even as he still has plenty of football ahead of him.
Smith has made clear he is not finished, either, saying he wants to chase more school records as Ohio State moves through the season. Ryan Day has been just as effusive, praising both Smiths production and the way he carries himself, and for a program that has seen its share of star wideouts, that combination is what makes this climb feel especially notable. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State Fans Have A New Fox Frustration After Another Blowout
Ohio States latest rout gave fans another chance to notice something besides the scoreboard, and it was Foxs broadcast that drew the heat this time. During the Buckeyes 59-3 win over Kent State, play-by-play voice Gus Johnson was criticized for sounding unusually flat on several big moments, an odd fit for a game that spent most of the afternoon as a one-sided showcase.
The reaction picked up after Chris Henry Jr.s touchdown catch, when Johnson described it as Henrys first score as a Buckeye. Fans also pointed to the same muted tone on other big plays, including Jamir Perezs fumble return touchdown and earlier Ohio State scores, continuing a pattern that has followed Johnson through previous Buckeyes blowouts. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State's Most Unexpected Touchdown Came From A Player Fans Didn't Expect
Ohio States defense got an unexpected jolt in its rout of Kent State, and it came from a player built more for clogging the middle than finding the end zone. Freshman defensive tackle Jamir Perez turned a fumble recovery into a touchdown in the 59-3 win, a rare scoring moment for a position group that usually measures success in tackles and quarterback pressure rather than points.
For a Buckeyes team that cruised through the afternoon, Perezs run to the end zone stood out as one of the games most memorable moments. Ryan Day even had a little fun afterward when the play and the celebration came up, a reminder that sometimes the biggest surprise of a lopsided game is the one nobody saw coming. [Read more 🡒]