Jeremiah Smith breaks off 70-yard TD as hype for OSU freshman continues to grow
Jeremiah Smith’s hype train as a 5-star freshman for Ohio State is picking up speed — and then some — as he adds another highlight-reel play to his portfolio.
Facing Western Michigan in Week 2, Smith did not hesitate to make a major impact early on. This time, the play came with Ohio State backed up and facing a 1st-and-20 play from its own 30-yard line.
The play began innocently enough with Will Howard finding Smith for a short pickup over the middle. At the time of the catch, Smith was in a crowd with 4 defenders surrounding him.
However, that group of defenders was unable to lay a hand on Smith. He hit the jets and showcased his breakaway speed, torching every defender and outrunning Western Michigan all the way to the end zone.
It goes down as the current longest play for Smith in his second game as a Buckeye:
JEREMIAH SMITH HIT THE JETS FOR THE TD ⚡️@ohiostatefb pic.twitter.com/TQ73HEfor6
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) September 8, 2024
Smith has needed just 3 catches to get to 98 yards and score a touchdown in Week 2. He is on the doorstep of his first 100-yard game at Ohio State, and Chip Kelly’s proclamation that the freshman is in store for a featured role is certainly coming true.
Smith came close to another big gain in the second quarter, but a pass slightly under thrown by Will Howard led to a harmless pass breakup for Western Michigan. Still, he seems likely to get over 100 yards sooner as opposed to later in his freshman season.