Already regarded as the best player in college football, Jeremiah Smith will have to do even more in the absence of Julian Sayin.

Junior quarterback Julian Sayin sustained an injury in the second half of the Buckeyes’ matchup with Indiana two weeks ago. Reports indicate Sayin could miss the rest of the season. Now, the Buckeyes will turn to Tavien St Clair or Luke Fahey to lead the team in Sayin’s absence.

With that in mind, the Buckeyes’ offense will need to fire on all cylinders to make the quarterback’s life a little easier. Neither quarterback has made a collegiate start yet, and the rest of the Buckeyes’ schedule is no easy task, even for the most experienced players.

The Buckeyes take on USC, Oregon, Northwestern, Nebraska, and Michigan to round out the season. Despite these challenges, the Buckeyes have a Heisman-caliber wideout to lead them.

Jeremiah Smith is off to a record-breaking start to his junior season. Smith has caught 52 passes this season for 984 yards and 12 touchdowns. Smith made history this season, becoming the program’s all-time leader in yards, touchdowns, and receptions. Despite all he’s done this season, Smith may have to do even more if the Buckeyes want to return to the National Championship.

Ryan Day shared his message to Julian Sayin about Jeremiah Smith:

🗣️ “If it’s 1-on-1, he’s open. If he’s double-covered, he’s sort of open. If he’s triple-covered, he’s covered.”

“Somebody’s gotta be open somewhere else,” according to Day. https://t.co/sXIfWflCBc

— The Silver Bulletin (@tSilverBulletin) October 6, 2026

The Buckeyes wide receiver room hasn’t quite lived up to the hype. Transfer addition Devin McCuin has been noticeably inconsistent, with 268 yards and 2 touchdowns, and transfer addition Kyle Parker recently made his season debut. On top of that, the Buckeyes have an abundance of youth who have yet to take a leap. While Cortez Hankton waits for his recruits to develop, Jeremiah Smith will have to hold things down for now.

While the circumstances aren’t ideal for Ryan Day and the Buckeyes, they’re not unfamiliar territory. The Buckeyes faced significant adversity in 2024 when starting offensive linemen Seth McLaughlin and Josh Simmons both suffered season-ending injuries. In addition, Buckeyes fans watched Cardale Jones step in and dominate after Braxton Miller and JT Barrett both went down due to injuries.

In both scenarios, the Buckeyes came together and won the National Championship. It’s now or never for the young Buckeyes’ quarterbacks, and with Jeremiah Smith in the fold, it will certainly be interesting to see how the rest of the season plays out.