Jeremiah Smith caught four touchdown passes and racked up 217 receiving yards on 12 catches to tie an Ohio State single-game record, propelling the seventh-ranked Buckeyes to a 42-19 victory over Illinois on September 26, 2026, at Ohio Stadium.
Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith delivered a historic performance on Saturday, shredding the Illinois Fighting Illini in a 42-19 home win to open Big Ten conference play. Sportradar reports that this marks only the 23rd instance since 2000 where an FBS player recorded at least 10 catches, 200 yards, and four touchdowns in a single game. The last to do it was Western Michigan’s Sky Moore against Northern Illinois in 2021. Smith hauled in 12 receptions for 217 yards and four touchdowns, etching his name alongside Terry Glenn (1995) as the only players in Ohio State history with 200 receiving yards and four receiving touchdowns in a single game.
The 20-year-old phenom wasted no time asserting himself at Ohio Stadium. Less than 12 minutes into the first quarter, Smith already had four catches for 123 yards and two touchdowns. The Buckeyes held a 14-0 advantage, with Smith scoring a seven-yard touchdown on the first drive and a 72-yard touchdown on the second. Smith also scored from nine yards out during the contest.
By the half, Smith had already accounted for three of his four touchdowns, the first time an Ohio State player has achieved this since Noah Brown did so in 2016. It is the fifth time an Ohio State receiver has had four touchdowns. According to FOX Sports Research, Bob Grimes (1952), Terry Glenn (1995), Dane Sanzenbacher (2010) and Noah Brown (2016) are the other four players to achieve the mark, with Brown being the last to do it at Oklahoma in 2016 before Saturday. With 10:07 left in the fourth quarter, Smith equaled the record by catching a wide-open 26-yard touchdown pass to make the score 35-13. His totals also tied for the sixth-most receptions and sixth-most receiving yards in a single OSU game. Smith also became just the third receiver from a Power Four conference since 2015 to record at least two touchdowns and 150 receiving yards in one half across three different games.
“It just started back in practice on Tuesday,” Smith said when asked by FOX Sports’ Jenny Taft what went into his performance. “It all showed up today on the field.”
Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State wide receiver, via FOX Sports
On Saturday, Jeremiah Smith hit the 3,000-yard career milestone just one week after becoming the all-time leading receiver for Ohio State. Through several big plays in the Buckeyes’ 42-19 win over Illinois, Smith became the first player in the history of OSU to reach 3,000 career receiving yards. Coming into Saturday’s game, Smith had 2,958 career receiving yards, placing him ahead of Marvin Harrison Jr., David Boston, Chris Olave, Michael Jenkins, and Emeka Egbuka on the Ohio State all-time list. Smith is expected to lead the Buckeyes’ all-time receiving ranks in every major statistical category by the time the season concludes. He began Saturday’s matchup against Illinois with 184 career receptions, ranking third at Ohio State and trailing leader Egbuka by only 21. Smith was also tied for fourth in career touchdown catches with 30, but added four more scores on the day.
Heisman Trophy Odds and NFL Draft Stock Surge
Following his breakout afternoon against the Illini, Smith is viewed by many as the top prospect for the 2027 NFL draft, and he is building his case for the Heisman Trophy and potentially finishing his college career as the greatest wide receiver in school history. Smith is now the favorite to win the Heisman Trophy at +340 according to DraftKings Sportsbook, after he entered the day fourth at +1050. While quarterbacks typically take the first overall pick, Smith could realistically go first overall next year, particularly if the team holding the first pick already possesses a young quarterback. Currently, Smith’s odds to be selected first overall are +900, placing him fifth behind Notre Dame’s C.J. Carr, Oregon’s Dante Moore, Texas’ Arch Manning, and Miami’s Darian Mensah.
From 2022 to 2026, Ohio State has seen a first-round wide receiver in five consecutive drafts, including stars such as Carnell Tate, Emeka Egbuka, Marvin Harrison Jr., Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Chris Olave, and Garrett Wilson. Smith will certainly continue this trend, and his historic Saturday outing against Illinois reinforced his status as the top wide receiver in the nation.
Julian Sayin and the Buckeyes Maintain Momentum
No. 7 Ohio State began Big Ten action with a 42-19 victory over Illinois at Ohio Stadium on Sept. 26. In his second meeting with the Fighting Illini, Julian Sayin finished with a touchdown and 29 yards on the ground. Sayin’s 7-yard touchdown run was more than double the distance of his first career score during the season-opener against Ball State. Entering this season, Sayin aimed for better efficiency while running after recording minus-44 rushing yards during his first year as a starter. Following the Buckeyes’ 34-16 win over the Fighting Illini last season, Illinois coach Bret Bielema suggested that Sayin would use his legs more often.
The No. 7 Ohio State Buckeyes entered this game with a 2-1 record, coming off a 59-3 win against Kent State. The Fighting Illini arrived at this contest with a 2-1 record, having beaten Southern Illinois 48-10 in their previous outing. To secure an upset, Illinois relied on a strong performance from quarterback Katin Houser, who has rushed for a touchdown and 50 yards and thrown for nearly 800 yards and eight touchdowns this season. Instead, Ohio State secured the 42-19 victory to move forward in their schedule, with fans able to watch the game on FOX.
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