Jeremiah Smith has been nothing short of spectacular in 2025. The Ohio State star wide receiver has shattered records, including the FBS single-season mark for receiving yards and touchdowns as a true freshman. Although he has been a little beat up over the past few weeks and has missed games. The 19-year-old is still drawing sharp attention for the prestigious Biletnikoff Award.

This award goes every year to the top college football receiver in the NCAA’s Division I FBS, with the winner being announced on December 12. This time, the finalists are Skyler Bell of UConn, Makai Lemon of USC, and finally, Jeremiah Smith himself. Last year, it was Colorado Buffaloes’ Travis Hunter who swept this award, and this year all three guys are hoping to add their names to the award’s long list of big-time past winners.

A week back, both Smith and teammate Carnell Tate were semifinalists among 13 candidates. But there is a reason why Smith got the nod ahead.

Jeremiah has been a laser-focused target all season. He racked up 69 catches for 902 yards and 10 touchdowns, which ranks him 11th in receptions (69), 13th most for yards (902), and tied for 6th on scores (10). This is despite him missing the game against Rutgers and the second half of the Week 12 win over the Bruins. Even when he played less than half of the UCLA game, Jeremiah made a jaw-dropping one-handed catch on the sidelines. Oddspedia has him at +240, and Lemon is a close second with +300.

The USC star leads the Power Four conferences in receiving yards (1,124), receiving yards per game (102.2), and first-downs as a receiver (49). Per PFF, Lemon is the highest graded wide receiver in college football, holding an overall grade of 90.6 and the nation’s top receiving grade of 91.6. Lemon, an All-American candidate, is also a semifinalist for the Maxwell Award.

Capping the nomination is the UConn star Skyler Bell. He is the first Husky in program history to become a finalist for one of college football’s top awards. That’s because of his performance this season, setting new school records for catches and touchdowns this season. He has hauled in 101 passes for 1,278 yards and 13 touchdowns, and is 76 yards away from the school mark for yards in a season.

Tough break for any of the 3 college athletes. But Smith is creating his own history. He has been one of the Buckeyes’ most talked-about receivers since his freshman season. Smith shattered a bunch of Ohio State freshman receiving records with 1,315 yards, 15 touchdowns, and 57 catches. He picked up the Richter-Howard Receiver of the Year and the Thompson-Randle-El Freshman of the Year awards in 2024. Smith played a huge role in Ohio State’s 2025 National Championship win over Notre Dame.

People are already comparing him to NFL stars like Julio Jones and Calvin Johnson, which shows just how high the expectations are for his future. Sure, Smith’s looked a little human lately. He tweaked a lower-body thing around the UCLA game.

The prodigal wide receiver returns 

Jeremiah Smith is not just a Biletnikoff semifinalist but also up for the Maxwell and Walter Camp Player of the Year awards. Speaking about his recent injury, the Buckeyes fan can feel a sigh of relief. The 19-year-old said he’s dealing with a “minor” but nagging issue that slowed him down recently. But his focus hasn’t wavered.

“You know, dealing with a little situation, injury-wise. But I should be good to go Saturday.” His role as Ohio State’s top receiver can’t be overstated. Jeremiah’s presence alone forces Michigan’s defense to spread thin. Ryan Day has been very optimistic about the development ahead of The Game.

“Our guys had an excellent week of work in terms of focus, and it was an opportunity for guys to step up in different ways. Whether it was special teams or on offense, you know, nobody really flinched,” Day said. “Everyone was like, ‘Come on, let’s go play.’ I think that’s been the approach of this team and this coaching staff. It’ll be the same way this week.”

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The Game holds major importance this season. The Buckeyes have lost their last four matchups against Michigan, and with their current momentum, the dominance slightly leans towards the Buckeyes. But it feels more like Ohio State wrapping their star in bubble wrap than some scary meltdown. So, Jeremiah Smith’s return is the cherry on top.