Ohio State star receiver Jeremiah Smith set a career-high in receiving yards on Wednesday as part of a record-setting performance in the Buckeyes’ 41-21 win over Oregon State in the Rose Bowl. It only took one quarter. The freshman phenom had seven receptions for 187 yards and two touchdowns in an early start as the Buckeyes took a commanding 34-0 lead over the top-seeded Ducks. He showed a deadly performance in the stage.
In addition to setting his career high, Smith also set a record for most receiving yards in a game by a freshman. He also increased his number of touchdown catches in a season to 14, setting a new Big Ten record for most touchdown catches by a freshman.
It was just the latest in a string of memorable performances for the former five-star prospect, who needed just nine games to pass Cris Carter’s school record for most receptions by a freshman. Smith wasted no time adding to those numbers, entering the Rose Bowl with 63 receptions, 1,037 yards, and 12 touchdowns.
Buckeyes quarterback Will Howard found Smith for a 45-yard touchdown 51 seconds into the game. Late in the first quarter, the two connected on plays of 29 and 32 yards. Smith then found himself wide open deep down the field and scored a 43-yard touchdown with 10:28 left in the first half to give Ohio State a 24-0 lead.
Smith is not the first Ohio State receiver to put together a memorable individual performance in the Rose Bowl in recent years. Jackson Smith-Njiba finished his sophomore season with 15 catches, 347 yards and three touchdowns in the Buckeyes’ 48-45 win over Utah in 2022. Marvin Harrison Jr. also had three touchdown grabs in that game, capping off his freshman season.
Smith’s performance made him the fifth player in College Football Playoff history to record 175 yards receiving and two receiving touchdowns in a single game. This is the first time since Heisman Trophy winner DeVonta Smith did it at Alabama in 2020.
