Jeremiah Smith Breaks Ohio State’s All-Time Receiving Record: His Top 5 Career Catches

Posted By on September 19, 2026

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2025 CFP National Championship Presented by AT&T- Ohio State v Notre Dame | Todd Kirkland/GettyImages
2025 CFP National Championship Presented by AT&T- Ohio State v Notre Dame | Todd Kirkland/GettyImages

Jeremiah Smith broke Ohio State’s all-time receiving yards record. Here are his top five catches from his historic, ongoing Buckeye career.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Jeremiah Smith has officially taken his place at the top of Ohio State’s receiving record book, passing Michael Jenkins to become the Buckeyes’ all-time leader in career receiving yards. Smith hauled in a 23-yard reception on the second drive, bringing his total to 2,909 receiving yards as a Buckeye. 

The record was inevitable. Smith had been closing in on it since he arrived in Columbus, building a career filled with spectacular catches, a national championship, and performances on the biggest stages in college football.

But the number at the top of the record book does not fully capture what makes Smith’s career special so far. For three seasons, he turned difficult throws into routine completions and routine opportunities into highlights. He did it against Akron in his first college game; against Michigan State and Iowa during his freshman season; against Oregon in the College Football Playoff; and, most memorably, against Notre Dame with a national championship on the line.

The record is now his, with at least nine games left plus the postseason. Let’s take a look at the Top 5 most memorable catches from Smith, including notable honorable mentions.

Honorable Mention — Tennessee, 2024: 37-Yard Diving Touchdown

Smith’s first College Football Playoff game came against Tennessee, and the freshman immediately looked comfortable on the biggest stage of his career to that point. On Ohio State’s opening possession, Will Howard found Smith down the left side for a 37-yard touchdown, with Smith tracking the ball over his shoulder and finishing the play with a diving catch.

Smith added another touchdown on a 22-yard reception in the third quarter and finished with six catches for 103 yards and two touchdowns in Ohio State’s 42-17 victory. The performance sent the Buckeyes to the Rose Bowl and gave Smith another major moment.

Honorable Mention — Rose Bowl vs. Oregon, 2025: 45-Yard and 43-Yard Touchdown Catches

The Rose Bowl deserves more than one catch on this list. Smith caught seven passes for 187 yards and two touchdowns against Oregon, producing one of the best postseason receiving performances in Ohio State history. His first touchdown came on a 45-yard reception, and he later added a 43-yard touchdown.

Between those two touchdowns, Smith also made a 29-yard reception that required him to battle through tight coverage and secure the football. Those two touchdown catches provided the highlights, but the performance showed why Oregon had no good answer for him. Smith finished as the Rose Bowl Offensive MVP and helped Ohio State advance toward its eventual national championship.

No. 5 — Penn State, 2025: 11-Yard One-Handed Touchdown After the Tip

Smith had already established himself as one of the nation’s best receivers by the time Ohio State hosted Penn State in 2025. Still, the touchdown he caught against the Nittany Lions reminded everyone how little room he needed to make a play.

On an 11-yard touchdown reception, the pass was tipped before reaching Smith, forcing him to adjust as the football arrived near the goal line. Smith reached out with one hand, secured the ball, and finished the play for his second touchdown of Ohio State’s 38-14 victory.

The play was never supposed to look that way when the ball left Julian Sayin’s hand. Smith adjusted faster than everyone around him and turned a broken-up pass into six points.

No. 4 — Iowa, 2024: Four-Yard One-Handed Touchdown After a 53-Yard Catch

Smith produced two consecutive highlights against Iowa that remain connected in his Ohio State career. After catching a 53-yard pass from Will Howard to move the Buckeyes deep into Iowa territory, Smith came back on the very next play and finished the drive with a four-yard touchdown catch.

The touchdown required Smith to stretch toward the back of the end zone and secure the football with one hand while maintaining control long enough to complete the catch. The play had already become part of Smith’s reputation just weeks into his freshman season.

The 53-yard reception set up the score, but the one-handed touchdown became the lasting image from the sequence. Smith finished Ohio State’s 35-7 victory with four catches for 89 yards and a touchdown.

No. 3 — Michigan State, 2024: 17-Yard One-Handed Touchdown

Smith’s freshman season produced another spectacular one-handed catch at Michigan State, where he made two of them on the same drive. The first went for 27 yards and moved Ohio State into Michigan State territory. Later in the possession, Devin Brown entered for one play and found Smith for a 17-yard touchdown.

Smith reached behind the defender’s body and secured Brown’s pass with one hand before catching it in the end zone. It was an impressive finish to a drive that had already featured another improbable reception from the freshman.

Smith finished the 38-7 win with five catches for 83 yards and a touchdown, but the one-handed score became an early defining image of his career. It was another example of Smith turning a difficult ball into a play that looked almost effortless once it was in his hands.

No. 2 — Akron, 2024: 45-Yard One-Handed Catch

Smith’s first signature catch came in his first game against Akron, and it didn’t take long for the hype to become tangible. He dropped his first target and then committed a penalty. After that, true freshman Jeremiah Smith got off to a strong start. Smith later hauled in the first touchdown of his career and the Buckeyes’ 2024 season.

In the third quarter, Will Howard launched a pass down the left side of the field. Smith tracked it over his shoulder, extended one hand, and pulled the ball out of the air for a 45-yard reception. Three plays later, Ohio State found the end zone.

Smith finished his debut with six catches for 92 yards and two touchdowns, but the one-handed reception immediately made its way around social media and into highlight packages.

No. 1 — Notre Dame, 2025: 56-Yard “3rd and Jeremiah” Catch

The best catch of Smith’s Ohio State career came when the Buckeyes needed it most.

Ohio State led Notre Dame 31-23 late in the national championship game when the Buckeyes faced third-and-11 with less than two minutes remaining. Notre Dame needed a stop to keep its championship hopes alive, while Ohio State needed to keep the drive moving and take more time off the clock.

Will Howard dropped back and gave Smith a chance downfield. Smith beat the Notre Dame defense and caught the 56-yard pass, moving Ohio State to the Notre Dame 10-yard line and putting the Buckeyes in position to finish the game.

The play became known as “3rd and Jeremiah,” and the name stuck because of the circumstances. Smith didn’t just make a spectacular catch; he made it on third-and-long with a national championship on the line. Ohio State kicked a field goal moments later to extend its lead to 34-23 and finished the night as national champions.

Smith’s career includes more acrobatic catches and others that may have required more difficult body control. None matched the combination of difficulty, timing, and consequence of the 56-yarder against Notre Dame.

The Record Belongs to Jeremiah Smith

Smith arrived at Ohio State as the No. 1 player in the 2024 recruiting class and leaves his name at the top of the program’s receiving record book. Along the way, he became a national champion, established himself as one of the most productive receivers in school history, and still has more football to play.

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