Jeremiah Smith’s freshman season at Ohio State was nearly perfect — from jaw-dropping catches that seemed impossible to record-breaking moments that made him the Buckeyes’ biggest offensive weapon. But in the biggest game of the season, a College Football Playoff semifinal against Texas, the star receiver vanished. In a 28-14 win, Smith was targeted just three times — a season-low for the rising star — leaving fans shocked at his sudden disappearance.
Head coach Ryan Day didn’t believe Texas had done anything special to neutralize Smith. Instead, he pointed to missed opportunities by the Buckeyes’ offense as the real issue.
“It wasn’t about how they played him; it was about how we executed,” Day told ESPN’s Andrea Adelson. “We couldn’t sustain drives, and we missed chances to connect on key plays. Smith is a perfect fit for what we do, and defenses will adjust to him, but ultimately, we hurt ourselves with self-inflicted mistakes.”
While Smith has shown he can be the perfect star on the big stage, Ohio State will need him to shine brighter if they want to finish their playoff run with a national ti
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