Jeremiah Smith Puts 135 FBS Colleges on High Alert With Ohio State Offense Team Admission

Following a major win versus the Longhorns, the Buckeyes could finally take it easy. Yes, after 5 straight games against top-10 teams dating back to last season, this season’s Week 2 offered a step down in competition. And the Buckeyes didn’t hold back while hosting Grambling State. Although the Tigers were 55.5-point underdogs, they never stood a chance. Ohio State rolled to a 70-0 blowout, its largest margin of victory since the 76-5 rout of Miami in 2019. To top it off, Julian Sayin directed a high-powered offense, and as teammate Jeremiah Smith noted, it was a performance that had everyone sitting up and taking notice.

Ohio State QB1 was nearly flawless. He finished 18-of-19 for 306 yards and four TDs. And his only miss? An interception in the end zone. Beyond that, the sophomore QB was lights out, seizing his first real chance to let it rip. But what stood out most? The way he ran the offense. Sayin opened the scoring with a 47-yard strike to TE Will Kacmarek. Later, he hooked up with Jeremiah Smith for an 87-yard catch-and-run TD, then added another nine-yard strike to Smith. So, Sayin wasn’t just making throws; he was making a statement. And right after, Jeremiah Smith dropped a big confession.

On September 6, OSU insider Chase Brown shared Jeremiah Smith’s postgame take on Julian Sayin. “It’s crazy. I’ve been seeing it since his freshman year, since last year when we first got here,” said Smith. And he’s absolutely right. Sayin’s 2024 season at OSU was brief but impactful. In 4 games, he completed 5 of 12 passes for 84 yards and one TD. It was a 55-yard strike to TE Bennett Christian against Western Michigan. And on top of that, his efforts even earned him OSU Scholar-Athlete honors.

Smith added, “Nothing surprises me at this point. He can make any and every throw. He’s controlling the offense at a very good pace right now. I’m very excited for him.” It wasn’t empty praise. It was the voice of a teammate who’s seen Sayin’s growth firsthand. Here’s where the question of the ideal replacement comes into play.

Even as a newcomer under center, Sayin has already caught the attention of Smith, who sees him as the perfect fit to follow in Will Howard’s footsteps. After bursting onto the CFB scene last fall as one of the Buckeyes’ top freshman WRs and helping secure a national title, Smith knows talent when he sees it, and he’s excited for what Sayin brings to the offense. “I’m expecting Julian to go out there every single week and put on a show,” said Smith on The Triple Option podcast. However, he didn’t stop there.

“Julian’s a smart player and a smart quarterback. He can make any and every throw. A student of the game, and I just can’t wait to see the things he does this year,” added Smith. But last week against Texas, OSU played it safe. The offense stayed conservative, leaning on a stout defense instead of letting plays fly. And after the game, HC Ryan Day explained the plan: they didn’t want to overload Julian Sayin in his debut. But against Grambling State, the Buckeyes let loose. So, Sayin got the keys, and he showed exactly what he can do when given room to shine. And Jeremiah isn’t far behind.

Jeremiah Smith’s record-breaking performance

As the season kicked off, OSU faced a storm of questions. Because the Buckeyes had lost a ton of talent from last year’s national title squad, leaving fans unsure how Ryan Day’s team would respond. But after two games, the picture is starting to clear. And the offense is firing on all cylinders, and the squad looks poised for a big year. Given that, Jeremiah Smith had a quiet start against Texas.

Yes, he caught just six passes for 43 yards in the season opener. But against Grambling State, he turned heads. Smith hauled in 5 receptions for 119 yards and two TDs. Among them, one was an 87-yard catch-and-run TD reception that now stands as the longest pass play in Buckeyes history. And his explosive performance proved why he’s already considered one of the top stars in CFB.