COLUMBUS, Ohio — Jeremiah Smith didn’t have to wait long. The Ohio State wide receiver entered Saturday’s game against Kent State needing just 26 yards to become the Buckeyes’ all-time leader in career receiving yards.
On Ohio State’s second offensive possession, Smith took care of it.
Smith caught a pass from Julian Sayin and picked up 23 yards, giving him enough to pass Michael Jenkins’ previous school record of 2,898 career receiving yards. He did it in just his 33rd game as a Buckeye.
The record-breaking catch came in the first quarter of Ohio State’s 59-3 win over Kent State, giving Smith another milestone in a career that has already included a national championship, two All-American selections and back-to-back Big Ten Receiver of the Year awards .
Ohio State stopped play after the catch to recognize the accomplishment, with Jenkins appearing in a video message congratulating Smith on breaking his record. Smith now has 2,958 yards as a Buckeye after Saturday’s game.
Smith arrived in Columbus in 2024 and immediately established himself as one of the most productive receivers in program history.
As a freshman, he caught 76 passes for 1,315 yards and 15 touchdowns while helping Ohio State win the national championship. He followed that with 87 receptions for 1,243 yards and 12 touchdowns as a sophomore.
Through the first two games of this season, Smith had already added 315 yards and three touchdowns to his career total.
Smith entered Saturday with 179 career receptions, leaving him 26 catches short of Emeka Egbuka’s Ohio State record of 205. He also needs six more touchdown receptions to pass Chris Olave’s program record of 35.
With the receiving yard record now his, Smith can turn his attention to the next ones, both the individual marks within reach and the larger goals Ohio State has for the rest of the season.
