Ohio State freshman receiver Jeremiah Smith made sure the No. 3 Buckeyes finished the first half against Michigan State in style.
On the Buckeyes’ final drive of the half, Smith made two spectacular one-handed grabs, reaching high for the first and reaching forward for the other.
Smith made the first catch by leaping between Spartans defensive backs Ed Woods and Malik Spencer to catch the ball on the near sideline.
Some might wonder why Ohio State quarterback Will Howard threw double coverage, but maybe he knew the rookie would get sick. The play resulted in a 27-yard gain.
The second one-handed game netted a Buckeyes touchdown and a 24–7 lead before halftime. Devin Brown took over at QB after Howard took a hard hit from MSU linebacker Jordan Turner and fired a pass down the right sideline on third-and-10 from the Spartans’ 17-yard line.
Smith beat Woods’ jam at the line and ran past him to get open and catch Brown’s pass in front of him. Spencer arrived too late from deep half to prevent the freshman from catching a touchdown.
Even NBA superstar (and devoted Ohio State fan) LeBron James had to express his appreciation for the dazzling show Smith had put on.
JEREMIAS SMITH!!!! MAN LEAVE IT!!!! MY GOD OH..
– LeBron James (@KingJames) September 29, 2024
In the first half, Smith made five receptions (the other three were conventionally two-handed) for 83 yards and a score. He added a rushing touchdown on a 19-yard pass midway through the second quarter.
So far this season, Smith has 19 receptions for 364 yards and five touchdowns. (He has six total TDs, including the rushing score against MSU.)