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Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith set program records for career receptions and receiving touchdowns in a 31-14 road win over Iowa, then said he is the best player in the country and has the Heisman Trophy on his mind.
Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith made a bold statement after the Buckeyes' 31-14 victory over Iowa on Saturday, declaring himself the best player in college football and saying the Heisman Trophy is on his mind.
Jeremiah Smith Breaks Ohio State Receiving Records
Smith finished with a game-leading 206 receiving yards and two touchdowns on 11 catches. He became Ohio State's all-time leader in career receptions (207) and career receiving touchdowns (36). Smith caught the 200th pass of his career in the second quarter, rising above three defenders for an acrobatic 54-yard grab. In the third quarter, he added his 36th career touchdown reception, a 57-yard bomb from quarterback Julian Sayin that gave Ohio State a 24-6 lead.
He celebrated by striking the Heisman pose. After the game, Smith told reporters, You have just got to let the Heisman voters - or whoever it is - know that I am the best player in the country. I have got to be there. He also made clear he had the award on his mind during the game, striking the Heisman pose after his 57-yard score.
Historic Performance Draws Star Comparisons
Smith's 206 yards included 77 yards after the catch. He now owns every major receiving record in program history. He has drawn comparisons to Randy Moss and DeVonta Smith among other all-time collegiate wideouts. Ohio State coach Ryan Day has compared Smith to LeBron James.
Day told the broadcast after the game, Drawing plays up for him is a lot of fun. But the most amazing thing about him is his work ethic. He is a great player and a great leader. I have challenged him before - it is not just about you, it is about the team.
And that is just his mindset. There is a generation of young people watching him, but the performances he has put on the last couple of weeks is contagious. I think the guys feed off it. Best player in the country right here.
Day and Ferentz Praise Smith
Day later added, There are times where he is covered, and we make the throw and catch, which just speaks to his ability and Julian, his trust with him. There are other plays where he was open and we work hard on designing those plays and trying to give him an opportunity, especially when it is down the field.
Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said of Smith, All you can do is do your best and try to be as smart as you can playing him, but he is a great player. With a little bit of luck, we will not see him again during my career, so that would be OK. Ferentz is 213-129 in his 28th season as Iowa's head coach. He had been 5-2 at home against AP top-five teams since 2008 before Saturday.
Ohio State Defense Powers Win Over Iowa
Sayin improved to 16-3 as Ohio State's starting quarterback after completing 20 of his 27 passing attempts for 324 yards and three touchdowns. Running backs Ja'Kobi Jackson and Bo Jackson combined for 142 yards and a touchdown on 30 carries. Defensively, Matt Patricia's unit held Iowa to 39 rushing yards, and late in the third quarter, Jaylen McClain's interception set up Ja'Kobi Jackson's touchdown to give Ohio State a 31-6 lead.
Iowa entered the weekend undefeated and was coming off a road win over Michigan in which quarterback Hank Brown capped an epic 91-yard drive with a touchdown pass. The Hawkeyes kept Ohio State somewhat in check in the first half by playing gritty, physical football. But Smith scored just before the break and again in the third quarter, while Ohio State's defense clicked throughout the second half.
Buckeyes Extend Winning Streak and Eye Playoff
Iowa added a scoring drive in the fourth quarter, but the outcome was essentially decided. Ohio State moved to 4-1 on the season and has won 15 consecutive conference road-opening games, the longest active streak in the nation. The Buckeyes remain one of the favorites to make the College Football Playoff. They will host Maryland next Saturday at 4:15 p.m. ET before games against No. 6 Indiana, No. 18 USC and No. 15 Oregon.
They also face Northwestern before closing the regular season against Nebraska and arch-rival Michigan. Iowa fell to 4-1. Ohio State was the Hawkeyes' final ranked opponent of the regular season, leaving games against Washington, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Northwestern and Nebraska. If Iowa takes care of business, the Hawkeyes could finish the regular season with just one loss and put themselves in position to make a case for a CFP berth.
Other teams that got reality checks in Week 5 include No. 8 Florida and No. 16 Mississippi State, who lost to No. 25 Missouri and No. 7 Alabama, respectively.
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nypost:Ohio State’s Jeremiah Smith makes bold statement after latest huge game: ‘I’m the best player in the country’This story was compiled and edited by the HeadTopics newsroom and HT AI from the reports above.
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