Jeremiah Smith did exactly what he said he was going to do against his former team. Unfortunately, it was all for not.
Jeremiah Smith said he was going to let his play do the talking this week. Boy, did he back that up. How does seven catches for 157 yards and a touchdown sound? Sounds pretty good to me.
There was a lot that went wrong for the Buckeyes tonight, but Smith was not one of them. This game against his hometown Miami Hurricanes was everything for the young superstar. He said it this week that had Miami been a bit better when he was in high school that he would likely have been a Hurricane.
Instead, he took his talents from South Beach to Columbus and is now viewed as a traitor in his hometown.
Earlier this week, he commented that he was going to let his game do the talking, which he made sure of on Wednesday night.
There is a serious conversation to be had about Playoff Jeremiah because he absolutely finds another gear when it comes to the post season.
In five playoff games, he has 26 catches for 538 yards and six touchdowns. He is averaging five catches, 107.6 yards, and over one touchdown per game. Those numbers are insane.
Now, with tonight's loss, the reality of Smith's longevity in Columbus is setting in. He will only be in the Scarlet and Gray for just one more season. Buckeye fans need to wrestle with the reality that we only get a guaranteed 12 more games of watching this superstar play for the Buckeyes.
As quickly as they come, they go and that is going to be the case for Smith.
Im not sure that there will be much of an argument when it is all said and done, but Smith is very clearly the best wide receiver that has come through this storied program. Some of his peers, such as Marvin Harrison Jr, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Garrett Wilson, Chris Olave, and Emeka Egbuka, can't even hold a candle to Smith.
And that should take nothing away from those guys, as JSN is going to lead the NFL in receiving yards this year, Olave just put together a career year, and Egbuka was in the running for Offensive Rookie of the Year until the wheels fell off in Tampa Bay.
Smith is the greatest wide receiver to play football at Ohio State, and I would listen to the argument that he is one of the best pure football players that we have ever seen as a Buckeye.
He blessed us again on Wednesday with one of those performances. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough for the Buckeyes to get a victory.