For the past few weeks, Jeremiah Smith’s body language told a story long before his words did.  Against Rutgers, he was completely kept out. During the UCLA warm-ups, he was seen limping. Despite the injury and pain, Smith still managed to make it onto the field as the lights came on. The first half against UCLA was the clearest snapshot of who he is when he pulled in four catches. To the outside world, it looked like grit. To those inside the program, it was closer to survival mode.

Behind the scenes, those weeks also sparked direct conversations with Ohio State’s coaching staff as expectations rose with the postseason approaching.

Now, Smith is finally saying it out loud. Late in the regular season, especially against Michigan, the Ohio State WR admitted that he wasn’t nearly at his full strength. Smith stated, “Going into that game, no, I was not 100 percent,” adding that he was “banged up” and suffering from a quad strain that, according to the procedure, should have kept him out of action for three to four weeks.

That uncertainty weighed on him mentally, too. “After that Rutgers week, I was feeling down,” Smith admitted. “I was debating if I was gonna play or not because it was really bad. But I had to do everything for the team. I wanted to be out there, and I did everything I could, and we got the win.” That internal battle followed him into the Michigan game.

Playing through late-season injuries has become increasingly common in the CFP era, where star players often weigh long-term health against postseason stakes. Ohio State has faced similar situations in recent years, with key contributors pushing through injuries as the margin for error narrows in December.

Still, he pushed through and did it again in the Big Ten Championship against Indiana. Smith now says he’s ‘fully healthy,’ feels 100 percent, and ‘should be good to go’ for Ohio State’s CFP run.

Now that he is healthy, Smith says he’s had conversations with Keenan Bailey and Brian Hartline about being pushed hard as the stakes rise. The tone has shifted from frustration to focus. “Now it’s time to win another natty around here,” Smith said. And for the first time in weeks, his body might finally be ready to back up the goal.

That renewed energy didn’t take long to show itself. As soon as Ohio State’s CFP path became clearer, Smith’s attention turned to who would be standing on the other sideline.

Jeremiah Smith Sends a Clear Message to Miami

For Smith, this is more than simply another CFP battle.  Miami is his home. It is the team he grew up admiring, the one that made a concerted effort to keep him in South Florida, and now it is the one that will be blocking OSU from making it back to the semifinals. His response following Miami’s win reflected that personal connection. There was no long story or explanation, just a mischievous emoji that conveyed a lot.

Also, Jeremiah Smith isn’t acting as though history doesn’t matter here. He is well aware that the 2003 national championship defeat still has an enduring impact in Miami.

“You see it all over the internet, all over Twitter. They’re still talking about that 20 years later, they’re still worried about it,” Smith said earlier. Then came the line that turned heads: “We got something coming for them New Year’s Eve.”

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It’s a statement from a guy who previously thrived on the greatest stage, emerging as the offense’s star player, catching five touchdowns during Ohio State’s championship run last season.

The urgency is real on both sides. After a disappointing 13-10 defeat to Indiana, Ohio State had no intention of ending its season on a skid. Miami brings similar problems of a physical defensive front, tight windows, and a grind-it-out style that tests patience. This increases the burden on the Buckeyes’ offense to get out to a quick start by taking on Smith as soon as possible. And for Smith, on New Year’s Eve, with his hometown across from him and a CFP semifinal on the line, he’s ready to let his play do the talking.