The 2026 Ohio State schedule is undeniably brutal, but Jeremiah Smith views it through a personal lens. Sitting down recently with Leonard Fournette, the star receiver broke down a slate that feels more like a revenge tour. He quickly brushed past early tune-ups against Ball State and Kent State.

“Our first couple of games are always like that,” Jeremiah Smith said, brushing past Ball State and Kent State. Sandwiched between those MAC opponents sits a massive Week 2 road trip to Austin. Smith didn’t overlook Steve Sarkisian’s Texas, simply stating, “We got Texas, though.” Even after edging out the Longhorns 14-7 last season, nobody in Columbus is treating this early clash lightly.

The Longhorns aren’t just another nonconference opponent, as this is a battle of powerhouses. Ohio State may have won last season, going 14-7, but nobody inside that building is treating a trip to Austin like an easy game. 

The October stretch brings tricky matchups. A road trip to Iowa had Smith admitting, “they be rocking,” nodding to the notoriously loud Kinnick Stadium. Then comes Maryland, followed by a deeply personal matchup against Indiana. It’s clear the receiver has been stewing over last season’s shocking upset.

That brutal 13-10 defeat still lingers. It stings intensely when opposing defenses scheme entirely around stopping you, and they actually succeed. Across the 2024 and 2025 matchups against the Hoosiers, Smith managed 178 total receiving yards but never found his way into the end zone.

What hurts Jeremiah Smith is that he never scored a touchdown against the Hoosiers. But head coach Curt Cignetti didn’t downplay Jeremiah Smith either. 

“You cover him as well as you can,” he said of the Buckeyes WR. “I hope the ball is not placed very well. He’s a freak, and he’s a great player at that position that I’ve seen at that age. And then he’s a weapon. Julio would be Julio was also a great player, yes, at Alabama, I coached him. Very similar. This guy is a little looser, a little more flexible, I think. Maybe a hair faster.”

That’s respect, but it’s also a challenge for Jeremiah Smith, who has expectations to fulfill. He’s projected as a future NFL star, a first overall pick even. But even after the Indiana game, you can’t ignore the rest of the schedule. 

Jeremiah Smith will try to correct past mistakes

USC on the road still carries weight, even if it’s not peak Trojans’ dominance. Then, Ohio State hosts Dan Lanning’s Oregon at home in a heated conference clash. Then there’s Northwestern, followed by Nebraska on the road, which Jeremiah Smith called “a good team.” Finally, there’s the final regular game against Michigan. It’s now headed by new coach Kyle Whittingham with new expectations. But that rivalry remains the same, and he’d want to boost his resume with more than one win in The Game, especially after his public troll. 

What makes Jeremiah Smith’s comments matter more than just offseason chatter is that this is likely his final year at Ohio State. Even Ryan Day didn’t hide his disappointment after his program, which expects nothing less than a national title, fell to Indiana.

“We didn’t handle it well at all,” he said. “This was a major lesson for this team. It can come down to one play. This is a tough lesson to learn.”

When your most explosive offensive weapon is actively circling dates for a revenge tour, opposing defenses should take notice. This fall, we will see a fiercely motivated receiver hunting for the end zone against the very team that kept Jeremiah Smith out.