Jeremiah Smith Seals Ohio State’s Victory in Thrilling CFP Championship

ATLANTA: So, Jeremiah Smith was totally in the zone during the game. He knew the ball was coming his way, and he was ready. With Notre Dame in man coverage, he thought, “Just catch it.”

He really delivered. Smith blew past his defender, snagging a 56-yard pass from quarterback Will Howard. That play pretty much sealed the deal for Ohio State, leading them to a 34-23 victory over Notre Dame at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

Things were tense before that catch. Ohio State had a solid 24-point lead, but it shrank to just eight. With only 2:38 left and a third-and-11 situation, the Buckeyes had to make a move. Coach Ryan Day decided to go for it instead of playing it safe. He wanted to win, not just avoid losing.

“I thought, let’s be aggressive and go for it,” Day said. And they did. Smith was tackled at the 10-yard line, but it set up a field goal that extended their lead to 11 points with just 26 seconds left.

Smith was a key player in this championship run. He broke records for Ohio State freshmen with 76 receptions, 1,315 receiving yards, and 15 touchdowns. He even set a Big Ten record for most receiving yards by a freshman.

In the final moments of the season, he stepped up big time, finishing with five catches for 88 yards and a touchdown. “It’s a blessing,” he said, reflecting on the season. And honestly, he was a huge part of that blessing.