Since early in the season, Jeremiah Smith has been an analyst favourite to win the Heisman. And for good reason. Only two wide receivers have won the award since 2000: DeVonta Smith in 2020 and Travis Hunter, who played both receiver and cornerback, in 2024. Jeremiah seemed destined to join them with one record-breaking performance after another. But Julian Sayin’s injury has thrown a wrench into those plans, leaving many wondering whether Ohio State’s struggles could derail Smith’s Heisman hopes.

As Jeremiah Smith’s Heisman hopes came under discussion on Triple Option Tuesday, Rob Stone admitted that the Ohio State receiver has his vote. However, with uncertainty clouding the Buckeyes’ quarterback room, he isn’t convinced Smith can go all the way. Urban Meyer, meanwhile, believes Ohio State’s season is far from over.

“There’s going to be someone. I think Georgia is the odds-on to win the darn thing, but the season is not over in Columbus, Ohio, which we’ll get to in a minute. That means the season is not over for the Heisman Trophy potential winner. I had him locked up a month ago. We all did. The Heisman Trophy winner of 2026 is Jeremiah Smith. It still could be that way. They could go on one of those crazy runs. He did it. Coach Day did it a few years ago,” said Meyer.

Ohio State’s latest defeat to Oregon marked its third loss of the season, but the bigger concern is what comes next. Back-to-back regular-season defeats have put the Buckeyes in unfamiliar territory, marking the programme’s first such slump since November 2011. At 6-3 overall and 4-2 in the Big Ten, Ohio State now faces long odds of earning an at-large playoff berth or reaching the Big Ten championship game, even if it wins its final three regular-season games.

Last week’s loss was particularly frustrating for Smith. After catching a 32-yard pass in the first quarter, the star wide receiver went more than two quarters without another catch, finally returning to the stat sheet on the final play of the third quarter. While Smith’s Heisman hopes are far from over, his candidacy has undoubtedly taken a hit.

Interestingly, Smith still has a compelling case for the coveted award, and the numbers make that difficult to ignore. According to a Forbes analysis of 1,592 qualifying FBS wide receiver seasons between 2022 and 2026, Smith’s current production ranks in the top 0.1% in receiving yards per game.

Through nine games, he has amassed 1,200 receiving yards, averaging an incredible 133.3 per game. He has also recorded 14 receiving touchdowns, putting him among the nation’s best.

However, the competition ahead is fierce, with Miami Hurricanes quarterback Darian Mensah, no longer the betting favorite behind Notre Dame’s CJ Carr, still a serious threat to his ambitions. Mensah and receiver Malachi Toney, who is currently sidelined by an ankle injury, have both been instrumental in Miami’s impressive campaign, keeping the Hurricanes firmly in the playoff conversation despite their recent setback.

Jeremiah Smith’s Heisman dream could now hinge on Ohio State’s final three games. The Buckeyes have no margin for error, with Northwestern, Nebraska, and bitter rivals Michigan standing between them and a perfect finish. Two of those clashes will be played at home.

With the stakes getting higher, Ryan Day is sticking with Luke Fahey, trusting him to improve on his first two starts, both losses. Smith, for his part, has been asked to keep his focus firmly on the task ahead.

“It’s always the focus,” said Ohio State offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, addressing the media about getting the ball more frequently to Smith. “We’d love to have him touch the ball every play.”

Jeremiah Smith has all the tools to become the third wide receiver since 2000 to win the Heisman Trophy.