As the Ohio State football team beat Notre Dame to win the national championship in the College Football Playoff (CFP), 34-23, the play that sealed the deal was a Will Howard deep throw to true freshman Jeremiah Smith late in the fourth quarter. With the Ohio State football team looking to repeat as champions, there is no doubt that Smith will be a huge part of that as offensive coordinator Chip Kelly spoke about the play with the receiver.

The interaction between Kelly and Smith was simple as the former revealed after the game to CBS Sports where he apparently asked the freshman about his nervousness about the big lights on a huge play call. Consequently, let's just say Smith is as confident as a 19-year-old college football player can be.

“I asked him if he was scared,” Kelly said to CBS Sports. “He said, ‘No.'”

“It's only a gutsy call if it doesn't work,” Kelly said. “I was trying to get a first down and get out of there.”

The Ohio State football receiver had a touchdown earlier in the first half but would receive no looks in the second until the huge 56-yard play towards the end of the game on a 3rd and 11 where they sealed the deal. It seemed as if the team knew it would work as the Fighting Irish were expecting them to run out the clock, but with them going Cover 0, it was the time to try it as even Buckeyes receiver Brandon Inniss saw it coming.

“We watched it on film and we knew the go-ball was going to be there because the (defensive back) was so far inside,” Inniss said. “We chose Jeremiah and Will to make the play, and that's what happened.”

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Ohio State football's Jeremiah Smith on big play

Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Jeremiah Smith (4) makes a catch against Notre Dame Fighting Irish cornerback Christian Gray (29) in the fourth quarter during the College Football Playoff National Championship at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on January 20, 2025.
© Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Even Ohio State football head coach Ryan Day would speak about running a gutsy play, but the national title game was the perfect time to run with it as Notre Dame was coming back in the game.

“I just thought to myself: Only one national championship, you only get one opportunity a year to do this, let’s just lay it on the line and put it out there and be aggressive,” Day said. “I talked to the defensive guys and I talked to the offensive guys that we were going to continue to be aggressive throughout the game I told the team that leading up to the game. And I had to make sure I followed through [with] that.”

On the season in his first, Smith had 76 catches with 1,315 yards and 15 touchdowns, averaging 17.3 yards per reception. Smith finished the game with five catches for 88 yards and a touchdown in the CFP final and spoke about how his reaction to winning a title in his freshman season and what his thought process was before the big play according to The New York Post.

“It’s a blessing,” Smith said. “We had too many blessings this year.”

“Just catch it,” Smith continued. “Man-on-man, I don’t lose.”

The Ohio State football team looks to go back-to-back in 2026.