Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith didn’t leave much room for debate when he was asked at Big Ten Media Days what the Heisman Trophy should reward.
With a small smirk, he answered, "Best player."
That simple answer fits the way Smith is viewed heading into the season. He’s widely regarded as the best player in the country, and the case for him is built on the full package: speed, quickness, strength, hands, physicality, fearlessness and competitiveness. In other words, he looks like the kind of player who can tilt a game every time he steps on the field.
The Heisman, though, has long leaned toward quarterbacks on the nation’s top teams. That reality makes the award a difficult one to sort through, especially in a year that should be worth watching closely.
Smith’s perspective also comes with a dose of realism. If the season goes the way Ohio State hopes, the award itself probably won’t be the thing on anyone’s mind. Smith and the Buckeyes are wired to chase the National Championship, and that’s the prize that matters most to them.
The history of the Heisman makes Smith’s path even steeper. Since 2000, only five non-quarterbacks have won it, and just two of those were wide receivers, including Travis Hunter, who was a wide receiver and cornerback. The odds are even tougher when you go back to the start of the award in 1935: only five wide receivers have ever taken home the trophy.
That’s why a wide receiver winning the Heisman remains almost impossible. But if there were ever a player built to challenge that reality, it would be Jeremiah Smith.
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Cincere Johnson Is Giving Ohio State Fans Another Reason To Dream
Cincere Johnson arrives in Columbus with the kind of profile that naturally gets Ohio State fans talking before he ever takes a real snap. A 5-star recruit and the No. 1 linebacker in the 2026 class, the Cleveland native picked the Buckeyes after drawing offers from plenty of top programs, and he has already spent the offseason adding 20 pounds of muscle as he gets ready for his debut season.
For a defense that always expects impact talent to show up early, Johnson is the latest reason for optimism. The Buckeyes do not need to be reminded what a difference a ready-made linebacker can make, but they are getting one anyway, and the only real question now is how quickly he turns all that recruiting buzz into production on the field. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State Fans Have Every Reason To Mock Michigans Latest Tone
At Big Ten Football Media Days, Kyle Whittingham took a notably calmer view of the sports biggest pressure-cooker games, saying rivalry matchups can be intense and emotional without crossing into personal hatred. The Michigan coach specifically said he does not hate Ohio State coach Ryan Day, framing the rivalry as a fierce competition that does not need to spill over into personal animosity.
For Buckeyes fans, the tone is hard to miss, especially given how much of the Ohio State-Michigan buildup usually leans into edge and emotion. Whittinghams comments leave room for the broader rivalry to stay heated on the field, but they also invite a familiar reaction from Columbus, where any hint of restraint in this matchup tends to become its own kind of punch line. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State's Biggest Big Ten Threat Might Surprise Buckeye Fans
Ohio State enters the season with the kind of familiar expectations that come with being a conference heavyweight, even if the Buckeyes have not won the Big Ten since 2020. Around the league, they are still being sized up as the favorite to reclaim the crown, and there is plenty of optimism that the offense can do its part if the line settles in and the key pieces perform the way they are supposed to.
Still, the more intriguing problem on the schedule may not come from the usual suspects. Indiana has emerged as a legitimate contender after a national-title run and has quickly earned respect under Curt Cignetti, enough to make this matchup feel like more than just another checkpoint on Ohio States path. For a team trying to get back on top of the Big Ten, the challenge may arrive in a place Buckeye fans might not have circled first. [Read more 🡒]