Jeremiah Smith was already in the Ohio State record books. Now he’s in the Big Ten record books, too.
The Buckeyes‘ sensational receiver set the single-season conference record for most touchdown receptions by a freshman, hauling in a catch from Will Howard and taking it 45 yards to the house on Ohio State’s first possession against Oregon in the Rose Bowl.
That was Smith’s 13th receiving score of the season. He added another one in the second quarter when he broke free for a 43-yard TD that put the Buckeyes up 24-0 over the Ducks. The previous Big Ten record belonged to Purdue’s Rondale Moore, who totaled 12 touchdown catches in 2018.
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Smith tied the record in Ohio State’s first-round College Football Playoff game against Tennessee. The 19-year-old tallied a game-high six catches for 103 yards and two touchdowns against the Volunteers.
He continued his excellent CFP performance with a monster game against Oregon in the quarterfinal matchup. With seven catches for 187 yards and the two touchdowns, Smith was named the Rose Bowl Offensive MVP after Ohio State’s commanding 41-21 win.
So far this season, Smith has registered 70 receptions for 1,224 yards and 14 touchdown receptions, all of which are freshman records at Ohio State, surpassing the numbers Cris Carter put up in 1984. Smith also has five carries for 52 yards and another touchdown on the ground, including a 5-yard rush against the Ducks.
He’ll get a chance to add to those numbers in the CFP semifinals, when Ohio State will face Texas in the Cotton Bowl.
After coming to Ohio State with much fanfare, the nation’s No. 1 recruit has lived up to the hype.
“He’ll probably be the best receiver to come through here,” Buckeyes cornerback Denzel Burke said in the week leading up to the Rose Bowl. “He’s already on that verge, so really happy for him.”
Burke is qualified to offer his opinion, having played with and practiced against the Buckeyes’ recent crop of NFL first-round receivers. Garrett Wilson, Chris Olave, Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Marvin Harrison Jr. were all selected in the top 20 over the past three drafts, and senior Emeka Egbuka could join them this spring.
“I’ve seen a lot of great receivers,” Burke said. “I’ve seen Garrett. I’ve seen Jaxon, seen Chris. I’ve seen Marvin Harrison — he was my class, too. So just being able to see that and being able to see those qualities in him. But he’s Jeremiah Smith. He’s a whole different person, so that’s awesome.”
Now, Smith stands on his own in Big Ten history.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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