It's already been a season for the record books for Ohio State football wide receiver Jeremiah Smith. The freshman pass-catcher will likely be up for tons of awards. Smith has collected 39 receptions for 678 yards and eight touchdowns before Saturday's 45-0 win against Purdue. By adding six catches for 87 yards and a score versus the Boilermakers, Smith set the Buckeyes' record for most receiving touchdowns for a freshman in school history.
The 6-foot-3 receiver has scored at least one touchdown in all but one game this season.
Ohio State football seeking CFP title
Despite all their success, the Buckeyes have only two national titles in the last 54 years, coming in 2002 and 2014. In the initial rankings for this year's College Football Playoff, Ohio State football was slotted at the No. 2 spot behind Oregon.
Expectations for this program are always high, and it faces scrutiny in the media, win or lose. FOX's Joel Klatt became a believer after Ohio State football gutted out a difficult win against Penn State last week.
“I had my doubts. I had my doubts,” Klatt said. “And I come out of that game, watching those four quarters of football and the way that they played up front, against that defensive front and in that environment, and now I'm bullish. I think Ohio State is absolutely national championship caliber based on what they did in those four quarters with their offensive line.”
“They came in as a mess, and they left as an answer,” Klatt said of the Ohio State offensive line. “Cohesive and ready to go, 40 carries, 176 yards, including what you're watching right now, which is just running it right down Penn State's throat when they got the ball with about five minutes to go on their own one yard line. Defense creates a big stand, and then they just decided to run the football, and they ended the game with the ball on the field. That is a championship mindset.”
Former Ohio State football coach Urban Meyer was also very impressed with their win over Penn State.
“This is one of the most impressive wins in the Ryan Day era. You get questioned about your toughness. You get questioned about your offensive line. All you have to do is show a 58-yard drive, 11-straight runs against a Penn State team in this stadium to close out a game,” Meyer said. “Their toughness was there, the offensive line — to me — won this football game.”
The Buckeyes are now 8-1 with three games left on their schedule. They close out the regular season at Northwestern, No. 8 Indiana and Michigan.
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