"Where's Jeremiah Smith?" That's the question every defense has to answer when they play the No. 4-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes. In Week 7 of the 2026 college football season, that team will be the defending-national champion and currently No.
5-ranked Indiana Hoosiers, who have won 22 consecutive games dating back to last season. Kickoff for the Big Ten showdown, which will be the first time the two teams square off against each other since last season's Big Ten Championship game, is Saturday at 12 p.m. ET on FOX, with FOX's "Big Noon Kickoff" on site in Bloomington.
Here's how Smith has performed against Indiana defensive coordinator Bryant Haines' unit: In short: Smith ripped apart the Hoosiers' defense when the two teams met in the 2025 Big Ten Championship. Smith reeled in eight receptions for 144 yards – 18.0 yards per reception – marking his then-fifth 100-plus-yard receiving game of the season. The problem?
Ohio State lost to Indiana, 13-10, shortly after a 7:57 drive ended with a 22-yard missed field goal from Buckeyes kicker Jayden Fielding with 2:48 remaining in the fourth quarter. Both the Buckeyes and Hoosiers were 12-0 entering the conference title game. The win was Indiana's first against Ohio State since 1988.
A Week 13 matchup in 2024 between Ohio State and Indiana saw the Hoosiers enter the game at 10-0, but the Buckeyes put a stop to that undefeated streak. As part of a 38-15 win, the Buckeyes outgained the Hoosiers in total yards, 316-151, with Ohio State quarterback Will Howard completing 22 of 26 passes. That said, Smith only had three receptions for 34 yards, with him also recording a 12-yard carry.
The 34 receiving yards are the second-lowest mark of Smith's three-year collegiate career. Through Ohio State's six games this season, Smith has totaled 48 receptions for 916 yards (19.1 yards per reception) and 11 touchdowns, which all lead the Big Ten and are second in the nation altogether. Over the Buckeyes' Week 4 and 5 victories over the Illinois Fighting Illini and Iowa Hawkeyes, Smith averaged a whopping 11.5 receptions for 211.5 yards and three touchdowns per contest.
According to FOX Sports Research, Smith is just the second player in Big Ten history to have back-to-back, 200-plus-yard receiving games, the other player being Indiana's Ty Fryfrogle (2020). Furthermore, Smith is now the Buckeyes' all-time leader in receptions (211), receiving yards (3,474) and receiving touchdowns (38). He's two receiving touchdowns away from being first in Big Ten history; Michigan Wolverines wide receiver Braylon Edwards is first with 39 receiving scores.
Earlier this week, Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti expressed that there's "no one" like Smith "playing at this level." Smith previously led the Big Ten in receiving yards in 2024 (1,315) and 2025 (1,243), receptions in 2025 (87) and receiving touchdowns in 2024 (15).
