Jeremiah Smith leads Ohio State to victory over Illinois

Jeremiah Smith led the Ohio State Buckeyes to a 42-19 victory over the Illinois Fighting Illini in their Big Ten conference opener. Smith recorded 12 receptions for 217 yards and four touchdowns, significantly outperforming the Illinois defense.

Quarterback Julian Sayin contributed to the win by completing 27 of 36 passes for 367 yards, throwing all four of Smith’s touchdown passes and adding a rushing touchdown. With 34 career scores, Smith is now just one touchdown behind Chris Olave on the all-time touchdown receptions list for the program.

Former Buckeyes standout Jaxon Smith-Njigba highlighted Smith’s exceptional talent, comparing his impact and the expectations surrounding him to that of LeBron James. Smith-Njigba noted that while Ohio State has produced many elite receivers, Smith represents a unique level of talent within the program's history.