Smith to Heisman voters after record day: 'I'm the best player in the country'

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  Adam RittenbergOct 3, 2026, 06:19 PM ET

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  College football reporter; joined ESPN in 2008. Graduate of Northwestern University.

IOWA CITY, Iowa -- Jeremiah Smith streaked across the turf, pulling away from Iowa's Anthony Hawkins -- and possibly the Heisman Trophy field -- for a 57-yard touchdown in the third quarter at Kinnick Stadium.

When the Ohio State wide receiver finally stopped moving, he struck the Heisman pose, a gentle reminder to those determining college football's top individual honor.

"You've just got to [let] the Heisman voters or whoever it is know that I'm the best player in the country," Smith said. "I've got to be there."

Smith likely cemented himself as the Heisman trophy frontrunner with another record-setting performance Saturday, as No. 5 Ohio State pulled away from No. 14 Iowa for a 31-14 win. The junior wideout set team marks for career receptions with 207 (passing Emeka Egbuka's 205) and career touchdown catches with 36 (eclipsing Chris Olave's 35), as Ohio State won its first road game of the season after falling at Texas on Sept. 12.

He also tied Marvin Harrison Jr.'s team record for games with 100 receiving yards or more with his 15th. Smith has more than 200 receiving yards and two touchdowns in each of the past two games, becoming the first FBS player to do so since Indiana's Ty Fryfogle and Mississippi State's Elijah Moore both did in 2020.

"He's got great size, great competitiveness, just great ability for a receiver," said Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz, who likened Smith to former Penn State star running back Saquon Barkley in terms of impact. "All you can do is do your best and try to be as smart as you can playing him, but he's a great player. With a little bit of luck, we won't see him again during my career, so that'd be OK."

Smith continued to make some plays look easy, like the 57-yard score, which offensive coordinator Arthur Smith had identified during the practice week to gain single coverage against a safety, but also the hard ones. On the first play of the second quarter, quarterback Julian Sayin threw into triple coverage but Smith still came down with the ball and ran 54 yards.

"Not a great read, but a ridiculous catch," Day said.

Added Smith: "I was surprised that he threw it, but it just shows that we have trust in each other."

Smith is drawing comparisons to Randy Moss and other iconic college wide receivers, including Alabama's DeVonta Smith, who won the Heisman in 2020. According to ESPN Research, Jeremiah Smith's fourth career game with at least 150 receiving yards and a receiving touchdown against an AP top-15 opponent tied DeVonta Smith for the most by any FBS player in the last 30 years.

Jeremiah Smith has joined DeVonta Smith and four others in the past 20 years to average 121.4 receiving yards and 1.4 touchdown receptions in the first half of games this season. He's also the first Big Ten player to record at least 750 receiving yds and nine receiving touchdowns in the first five games of a season since former Ohio State star Terry Glenn had 752 yards and nine touchdowns in 1995.

"There's times where he's covered and we make the throw and catch, which just speaks to his ability and Julian, his trust with him," Day said. "There's other plays where he was open and we work hard on designing those plays and trying to give him an opportunity, especially when it's down the field."

On his way to the locker room, Smith stopped to celebrate with Ohio State fans and sign some autographs.

"I love the fans," he said. "They're why I play this game. ... They spend their hard-earned money to go come watch us play, so it's only right that this team gives their all, and I give my all."