It was the third quarter at Kinnick Stadium, and Iowa somehow forgot to cover the best receiver in college football. Julian Sayin found Jeremiah Smith running free for a 57-yard touchdown, Smith turned toward the crowd and hit the Heisman pose, because apparently breaking Ohio State records was not enough.
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The catch was worth six points. The celebration was basically a reminder that the Buckeyes’ record book is starting to look like his personal property.
That touchdown gave Jeremiah Smith 36 career touchdown receptions, moving him past Chris Olave and into sole possession of Ohio State’s career record. Two weeks earlier, against Kent State, he had already passed Michael Jenkins to become the Buckeyes’ all-time leader in receiving yards. Now another major program record belonged to him, and some of the receivers whose names he had just passed were ready to congratulate him, starting with Olave himself.
“What’s up, man? Congrats on an amazing career,” he said, via Ohio State Football. “Congrats on breaking the touchdown record at Old State and all the receiving records. Since you came in as a freshman, I knew we had something on our hands. It’s been great to watch your journey throughout your career. Can’t wait to watch you throughout the NFL, man. I wish you the best.”
Olave’s 35 touchdown catches had stood as the program standard, with David Boston at 34, Marvin Harrison Jr. at 31 and Devin Smith at 30. Smith needed just 34 career games to move past all of them. Against Iowa, his 11 receptions also pushed him past Emeka Egbuka for Ohio State’s career receptions record.
Smith did not exactly explode right away. He finished the first quarter with three catches for 27 yards, then started ripping Iowa apart in the second. He opened the quarter with a 54-yard reception, added an 18-yarder and then caught a 12-yard touchdown with 12 seconds left before halftime. That gave him three catches for 84 yards in the quarter and six catches for 111 yards at the break, with the touchdown pulling him level with Olave.
Smith caught 15 touchdown passes during Ohio State’s 2024 national championship season and added 12 in 2025. Against Illinois on Sept. 26, he caught 12 passes for 217 yards and four touchdowns, tying an Ohio State single-game record and moving within one score of Olave.
A week later, Smith had the record to himself. The third quarter was where he took it. After adding shorter catches earlier in the period, Julian Sayin found him for the 57-yard touchdown with 6:11 remaining, giving Smith career score No. 36 and Ohio State a 24-6 lead. He finished the quarter with four catches for 77 yards and the record-breaking touchdown, then added one more 18-yard reception in the fourth to close with 11 catches for 206 yards and two scores.
His 36 career touchdowns also tied Indiana’s James Hardy for third-most in Big Ten history, leaving only Michigan’s Anthony Carter at 37 and Braylon Edwards at 39 ahead of him. More importantly for Ohio State, Smith now owns the program’s career records in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns, all while still in his third season.
With Smith tearing through marks held by some of the biggest receivers to ever come through Columbus, the Zone 6 legends started speaking up.
Ohio State Legends Salute Jeremiah Smith’s Record-Breaking Rise
Marvin Harrison Jr. congratulated him for completing what he called the receiving “Triple Crown,” pointing to his record-setting career in receptions, yards, and touchdowns. Jaxon Smith-Njigba called him “the best.”
“Congratulations on all your success,” he said. “Watching you since high school, you lived up to the hype, exceeded the hype. And just to watch your journey on and off the field has been extraordinary. Congratulations. This is just the beginning.”
Then came Emeka Egbuka, who had been around Jeremiah Smith during his development.
“Super proud of you and everything you’ve accomplished at Ohio State,” he said. “I’m glad I was able to be a part of your journey.”
Cris Carter also sent his congratulations, while Parris Campbell brought the emotion that comes with the territory.
“Keep making Buckeye Nation proud,” he said. “More specifically, keep making Zone 6 proud, man. Legend. True legend, bro.”
Michael Jenkins, meanwhile, also congratulated Jeremiah Smith on becoming Ohio State’s all-time receiving yardage leader, a record he had already claimed against Kent State in September.
Then NBA star LeBron James joined the conversation. Jeremiah Smith’s Heisman celebration apparently caught his attention, and he posted a blunt message on X after the touchdown.
“THROW IT TO 4! #HEISMAN,” he wrote.
Just throw the ball to No. 4 and give him the Heisman. Jeremiah Smith’s Heisman case was already gaining serious momentum after his four-touchdown explosion against Illinois, and his latest performance only adds another line to it. The wild part is that the record isn’t finished growing. With seven more regular-season games and potentially the postseason, he’s going to leave an incredibly high standard for the rising stars after him.