Ohio State and Oregon played each other during the regular season and it turned out to be one of the best college football games of the year, as the Ducks won the game 32-31.
The two teams will meet again on Wednesday in the College Football Playoff. Buckeyes wide receiver Jeremiah Smith warned the Ducks defense about playing man-to-man defense against him. He said if that happens, Will Howard would shoot him deep.
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Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Jeremiah Smith grabs a sack as the No. 3 Oregon Ducks host the No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes on Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024, at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon. (Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
The freshman standout had nine catches for 100 yards and a touchdown in his first game. He promised to bring a different game to Oregon than the one they saw on October 12.
“You’re going to see a completely different player than last time,” he told reporters before their Rose Bowl matchup, via ESPN. “Even (receivers coach Brian Hartline) told me the other day that I’m a completely different player from the first time we played Oregon to now. It all started with understanding the game plan and knowing what the defense is trying to do.” “.
Smith expressed his frustration with the loss to Michigan in the final game of the regular season. He suggested much of that was taken away against Tennessee in the first round of the College Football Playoff.
Tennessee linebacker Kalib Perry, No. 8, forces Ohio State receiver Jeremiah Smith, No. 4, out of bounds during the first half of the first round of the College Football Playoff on Saturday the 21st December 2024 in Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete)
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He had six receptions for 103 yards and two touchdowns in that game.
“Well, Tennessee, you saw what they tried to do and what happened,” he said. “I just took pictures and applied them, and I have to continue doing that.”
Smith has already been compared to some of the great wide receivers to come out of Ohio State in recent years, in addition to being selected for top-tier awards such as Big Ten Receiver of the Year and Second Team All-America.
However, try to keep things in perspective.
Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith, #4, catches a touchdown pass against Tennessee defensive back Rickey Gibson, #1, during the first half of the first round of the College Football Playoff on Saturday, December 21, 2024 in Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete)
“It’s a blessing, I mean, but I can’t let that statement get into my head,” he said. “I know I have two or three more years left here just to develop and get better.”
