Jeremiah Smith sets the standards very high and sends a direct message to the NFL
Jeremiah Smith has already made Ohio State history, but the Buckeyes star isn’t satisfied yet and is now chasing two more legendary records.
Ohio State put the tough loss to the Texas Longhorns in Week 2 behind them with a dominant 59-3 victory over Kent State , though the night also confirmed that Jeremiah Smith still has the hunger to keep making history.
The Buckeyes’ star receiver turned in a modest performance by his own standards with 85 receiving yards, but he still reached a new milestone by surpassing Michael Jenkins as the program’s all-time leader in receiving yards.
However, Smith made it clear he is not satisfied with simply writing a new page in the Ohio State record books. After the game, he said he felt “blessed” by the achievement and highlighted the work that went into it, but he immediately set his sights on two more records.
“I have two more to get, Chris Olave’s touchdowns record and Emeka Egbuka, receptions,” Smith said.
Olave starred for the Buckeyes from 2018 to 2021 before heading to the NFL with the New Orleans Saints , while Egbuka was one of Ohio State’s standout players from 2021 to 2024 and currently plays for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers . Now Smith is chasing two of the most accomplished receivers in the program’s recent history.
Ohio State’s offense responded with authority after the loss to Texas. The Buckeyes dominated Kent State with a 527-134 advantage in total yards, including 382 passing yards in a performance led by quarterback Julian Sayin.
The signal-caller completed 18 of 22 passes for 241 yards and two touchdowns, while six different receivers recorded at least two catches — a clear sign of the team’s offensive depth.
After the stumble against the Longhorns, Sayin expressed confidence in his teammates and appears to have regained stability heading into the most demanding stretch of the season.
Week 4 will mark Ohio State’s return to Big Ten play, when the Illinois Fighting Illini, coached by Bret Bielema , visit the Horseshoe to face Ryan Day’s Buckeyes .
Ohio State will enter as the favorite, but Illinois represents another test for a team looking to solidify itself. For Smith, it will be another opportunity to keep closing in on the records he still has firmly in his sights.
