15 years ago, Rufus the Bobcat blindsided Brutus the Buckeye in one of the most chaotic mascot melees ever caught on camera. Fast forward to September 13, and history repeated itself inside the Horseshoe. Except this time, it wasn’t fur flying. It was fists, helmets, and one of the best wide receivers in college football inching closer to disaster. Because when Jeremiah Smith decided to mix it up with Ohio CB Jaymar Mundy, the stadium went from nostalgic to nuclear. 

The fight lit up social media with cfbonfox dropping a chippy close-up slow-mo clip on Instagram with the caption, “Jeremiah Smith wasn’t having it.” And they weren’t kidding. Smith ripped at Mundy’s helmet, the CB fired back, and chaos spilled out. Teammates and referees got involved trying to separate the two. Because the problem for Ohio State is that this is one guy they absolutely can’t afford to lose.  

If cooler heads hadn’t prevailed, the Buckeyes might’ve watched their Heisman hopeful take an early shower. The thing is, Jeremiah Smith wasn’t just jawing; he was torching the Bobcats with four grabs for 66 yards in the first quarter, setting the tone. By halftime, he’d stacked 89 yards on six catches. QB Julian Sayin kept looking his way, and for good reason, because every time the wideout touches the ball, it looks like history waiting to happen. So yeah, ejection wasn’t just risky. It was unthinkable.

At the break, the Buckeyes led 10, but let’s be honest, it felt like they should’ve been up three scores. Missed red-zone chances haunted Ryan Day’s crew, and Ohio U’s defense looked scrappy enough to hang around. For a team that dismantled Grambling State 70-0 a week ago, this wasn’t exactly the cruise-control performance Buckeye Nation expected. And then came the reminder. All it takes is one penalty or one bad fight to swing momentum in a game like this. Which makes Jeremiah Smith’s outburst even more fascinating. But just when it seemed the scuffle might define his night, he reminded everyone that he’s rewriting the Buckeye record books. 

Jeremiah Smith breaks Ohio State WR record

When Jeremiah Smith is not testing the officials’ patience, he is rewriting Ohio State history at warp speed. With a 12-yard grab early in the third quarter, he etched his name into history as the fastest Buckeye ever to reach 1,500 career receiving yards. Nineteen games. That’s all it took. He even beat Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s 20-game mark. Cris Carter, JSN, Garrett Wilson, pick your legend. But the present WR is ahead of schedule.

That’s why Ohio State fans held their breath during the skirmish. Jeremiah Smith is the best receiver in the country. He’s the rare sophomore who already feels inevitable, a receiver so polished he makes defenses look like practice squads. From his 76-catch freshman campaign to his Rose Bowl MVP run, Smith has made “generational” feel like an understatement.

And when the dust settles on Saturday’s near-meltdown, one thing will be clear. Jeremiah Smith may fight like a linebacker, but he plays like the best wideout college football has seen in years.