Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith didn’t hold back after helping the Buckeyes beat Iowa 31-14 on Saturday in Columbus, telling reporters he belongs at the top of the sport.
“You’ve just got to [let] the Heisman voters — or whoever it is — know that I’m the best player in the country,” Smith said. “I’ve got to be there.”
The junior finished the game with a team-leading 206 receiving yards and two touchdowns, including a 57-yard score in the third quarter that he celebrated by striking the Heisman pose.
Saturday’s performance also pushed Smith past longtime Buckeyes marks. He now holds the program records for career receptions, with 207, and receiving touchdowns, with 36.
Even the opposing coach had praise for the Ohio State star. Iowa’s Kirk Ferentz told reporters, according to ESPN, “He’s got great size, great competitiveness, just great ability for a receiver. All you can do is do your best and try to be as smart as you can playing him, but he’s a great player.”
Ferentz added a bit of humor about facing Smith again: “With a little bit of luck, we won’t see him again during my career, so that’d be OK.”
Smith has drawn comparisons this season to past college football greats like Randy Moss and DeVonta Smith. Ohio State head coach Ryan Day credited both Smith’s talent and the team’s scheme design for his production.
“There’s times where he’s covered, and we make the throw and catch, which just speaks to his ability and Julian, his trust with him,” Day said. “There’s other plays where he was open and we work hard on designing those plays and trying to give him an opportunity, especially when it’s down the field.”
The win improved Ohio State to 4-1 on the season. The Buckeyes return home to Columbus next Saturday at 4:15 p.m. ET to face Maryland.
