How Jeremiah Smith turned a 42-19 win over Illinois into a record-setting day

Ohio State beat Illinois 42-19. Wide receiver Jeremiah Smith caught four touchdown passes and tied the school single-game record for touchdown catches. He finished with career highs: 12 receptions for 217 yards. Quarterback Julian Sayin threw all four touchdown passes and finished with 367 yards on 36 attempts.

Smith's stat line is uncommon in Buckeye history. He is the fifth receiver in program history with four receiving TDs in a game. The combination of double-digit catches, four scores, and at least 200 receiving yards in a single game is a first for Ohio State. Given Illinois' competitiveness through most of the game, Smith's output stands out as the decisive factor in a win that remained within two touchdowns for long stretches.

No. 4 — Opening-drive score: On 2nd-and-5 at the Illinois 7, Julian Sayin found Smith in the corner of the end zone. Smith got in front of Illinois defensive back Juice Clarke and made a routine-looking catch that put the Buckeyes on the board early and set the tone.

No. 2 — 72-yard answer: Early in the first quarter, Smith turned a second scoring opportunity into a 72-yard touchdown, his longest reception of the day. His route left Illinois defensive back Mac Resetich off-balance, and Smith sprinted into the end zone to extend the lead to 14-0. No. 1 — The toe-tap: Smith's most notable catch was a contested toe-tap in the corner of the end zone. He managed to get his left foot down in bounds before landing out of bounds, showing exceptional body control and footwork on a high-leverage play.

Ryan Day commented on Smith's season-long play after the game: "I mean, if there's a better player in the country, it's hard to imagine. Or even just watching him play every game this year. I think he's taking his game to the next level this year."

Smith's performance strengthened his profile nationally and framed him as a top candidate for award conversation. The way he scored — a mix of red-zone reliability, deep speed, and contested-catch skill — suggests opposing defenses will need varied schemes to limit him in coming weeks. For Ohio State, the pairing of Sayin and Smith proved highly productive and repeatable under pressure.

The game reinforced Smith's emergence as the primary offensive weapon. His four touchdowns, career highs, and the variety of scoring plays combined to make this one of the most complete receiving performances in recent Ohio State history.