Ohio State WR Jeremiah Smith's Quote on Oregon's Defense Recirculates After Win

Kristen Wong | Jan 2, 2025

Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Don’t say Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith didn’t warn them.

The Buckeyes beat Oregon, 41-21, in the Rose Bowl on Wednesday night in a surprisingly lopsided game that put their offensive talents on full display. Ohio State quarterback Will Howard picked apart the Ducks’ defense all night and combined with Smith for 187 yards and two touchdowns, a single-game program record for the freshman receiver.

Before Ohio State’s dominant win, however, Smith gave a blunt notice to the Ducks on how they should prepare on defense. 

“I'm just laughing in my head. Why are y'all really playing man-on-man against us, or against me, I should say?” Smith told reporters earlier this week. “And when we see man [coverage] against any of our receivers, we're going to take a shot down the field.

“So I'm just letting everybody know right now that if you play man Wednesday, we're taking a shot.”

As is the case in most years, the Buckeyes boast a stacked wide receiver room with Smith, Emeka Egbuka and Carnell Tate, but it was Smith who impressed the most to help Ohio State avenge an October loss to Oregon and advance to the CFP semifinal.

Ohio State will face the playoff’s No. 5 seed, Texas, in the Cotton Bowl on Jan. 10.

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