Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith passed Marvin Harrison Jr. in the school record book on Saturday and now sits 31 yards from the Big Ten’s career receiving record, according to TWSN.
Smith caught seven passes for 133 yards and a touchdown in Ohio State’s 41-28 loss to Oregon at Ohio Stadium on November 7, TWSN reported. The 100-yard game was the 16th of his career, moving him past Harrison’s school record of 15 such games — a milestone ESPN Insights noted on Sunday, TWSN reported.
The bigger record is now in reach. Smith has 3,758 career receiving yards, leaving him 30 yards short of tying John Standeford’s Big Ten record and 31 yards from owning it outright, according to TWSN.
The record chase is the bright spot in a hard week for the Buckeyes. Oregon scored 38 unanswered points on Saturday to hand Ohio State its third loss of the season, and on Sunday the Buckeyes fell to No. 21 in the Associated Press poll, their lowest ranking since 2014.
Smith’s production has been the constant through that slide. His 133 yards against the Ducks came on a day when Ohio State’s offense stalled for long stretches after an early 14-0 lead, and his touchdown catch helped the Buckeyes close the final margin late.
Three regular-season games remain for Smith to take the conference record: Ohio State still faces Northwestern, Nebraska and Michigan. Even a quiet afternoon by his standards would be enough — Smith needs fewer yards than he gained in the first half of several games this season.
Smith’s touchdown against Oregon came in the second half, and his record-breaking 100-yard game came against a ranked conference opponent in the season’s biggest home game. Harrison set his mark of 15 hundred-yard games as the Buckeyes’ top target before leaving for the NFL; Smith has now topped it while still adding to his totals every week, TWSN reported.
What happens next: Smith’s first chance at the record comes in Ohio State’s next game, against Northwestern. A 31-yard day would make the junior the Big Ten’s all-time receiving yardage leader with two regular-season games and a bowl game still to add to the total.
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