By the time this season closes, Jeremiah Smith’s name is going to sit all over the Ohio State and Big Ten record books. That’s already the direction this thing has been headed since he arrived as a freshman, and the numbers now match the hype. For a player who has been compared with the likes of Larry Fitzgerald and DeVonta Smith - and for some, billed as the best college wide receiver ever - the résumé keeps getting louder by the week.
Smith is also the current Heisman frontrunner, though that picture could shift depending on how Ohio State handles life without starting quarterback Julian Sayin. Someone still has to deliver him the football, but his importance to the Buckeyes only grows with Sayin sidelined.
While Ohio State gets a breather before heading to Los Angeles to play No. 16 USC on Halloween, Smith’s season already includes a stack of record-tying and record-breaking performances worth revisiting.
The first major one came Sept. 26 against Illinois, when Smith delivered a four-touchdown explosion that tied the Ohio State record for most receiving touchdowns in a single game. He became the fifth player in school history to do it, and the first since Noah Brown against Oklahoma in 2016. Smith piled up 12 catches for 217 yards, both career highs, and in the process became the first player in school history to post double-digit receptions, four touchdowns and at least 200 receiving yards in one game.
The scoring came in every flavor. His first touchdown put Ohio State in front, 7-0, right away.
His second was a 72-yard strike, the longest catch of the day. The third was the kind of play that turns heads even in a monster stat line: a contested grab where Smith got his toe down in bounds with remarkable balance before drifting out of play.
Then the fourth touchdown sealed the record.
A few weeks later, Smith added another mark when Ohio State faced Indiana on Oct. 17.
On 4th-and-1 from the Indiana 38-yard line, Sayin hit Smith for a touchdown that put the Buckeyes ahead, 19-7, over the defending national champion Indiana Hoosiers. It was Smith’s 39th career touchdown, which tied Michigan’s Braylon Edwards for the Big Ten record.
With five games still left, Smith looks set to finish alone at the top of that list.
He also entered the Kent State game needing only 26 yards to pass Michael Jenkins for Ohio State’s career receiving yards record. He got there quickly, needing just two catches.
A 23-yard reception moved him past Jenkins, and he added 59 more yards before the day was done. Smith now sits at 3,542 career receiving yards and counting.
That Kent State performance was another heavy one even in a game that wasn’t always clean. Smith finished with 206 yards and two touchdowns on 11 receptions. The day also gave him outright control of two more Ohio State marks: most career receptions with 207, breaking Emeka Egbuka’s 205, and most career receiving touchdowns with 36, passing Chris Olave’s 35.
Since then, Smith has pushed those totals to 215 career receptions and those 39 touchdowns. He also tied Marvin Harrison Jr.’s school record for most games with 100 or more receiving yards, reaching 15 such games. One more 100-yard outing this season would leave him alone in that category too.
In Other News...
Ohio State Suddenly Has A Quarterback Depth Problem Fans Cant Ignore
Ohio States quarterback room looks a lot different than the one fans expected to see heading into the season, and the ripple effects are hard to ignore. With starter Julian Sayin dealing with an injury, Ryan Day is expected to turn to true freshman Luke Fahey in the backup role, a move that instantly shines a light on just how young and unproven the depth chart has become behind center.
Former coach Urban Meyer has already raised the question many around the program are asking, wondering why five-star prospect Tavien St. Clair is not in position to back up Sayin despite his obvious talent. It is the kind of quarterback situation that can feel manageable in September and suddenly become a real concern if the Buckeyes need answers in a hurry, especially with a room made up mostly of true freshmen, redshirt freshmen and a senior transfer who has limited starting experience. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State Stays In The Spotlight As USC Trip Brings Bigger Concern
Ohio State remains squarely in the national conversation after the Week 8 US LBM Coaches Poll placed the Buckeyes at No. 2, just behind Miami and ahead of a reshuffled top five that includes Georgia moving up to No. 3. For a program carrying playoff expectations every week, the ranking is less of a surprise than a reminder of how little margin there is at the top, especially with Oregon sliding out of the mix after a loss.
The bigger immediate issue is the trip to USC, where Ohio State is still waiting on a starting quarterback announcement expected soon. The Buckeyes have plenty of attention coming their way no matter how the poll looks, but the quarterback decision adds another layer to a game that already feels like a test of where this team really stands as the schedule tightens. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio States Final Tune Up Brought A Big Reason For Optimism
Ohio States final preseason test in Columbus gave the Buckeyes a useful snapshot of where this roster can go, and a few familiar faces made the evening feel bigger than a typical tune-up. In an 82-73 win over Butler, the Buckeyes got strong contributions from several key players, with Amare Bynum leading the way with 23 points while John Mobley Jr., LJ Smith and Justin Pippen all played important roles in the buildup to the regular season.
The night also carried a healthy dose of program history. Jon Diebler was back around the team, and former head coach Thad Matta was honored at halftime, adding some extra weight to an exhibition that already felt like more than just a warmup. For Ohio State, the performance offered reasons to feel encouraged, even if the bigger questions about how this group will mesh are still waiting to be answered when the games start counting. [Read more 🡒]