Updated

Updated · Fox News · Nov 9

Analysts Say Jeremiah Smith May Sit Out Ohio State's Final 3 Games as Buckeyes' Season Unravels

Updated

Updated · Fox News · Nov 9

Analysts Say Jeremiah Smith May Sit Out Ohio State's Final 3 Games as Buckeyes' Season Unravels

Q: With playoff hopes fading, will star receiver Jeremiah Smith abandon the Buckeyes to protect his lucrative NFL future?

There is no evidence that Jeremiah Smith is abandoning Ohio State, and the available signs point the other way. The shutdown talk is being driven by outside speculation, mainly former NFL back Damien Harris, who argued Smith has “nothing to gain and everything to lose” with his NFL stock already secure and Ohio State’s playoff path badly damaged. That view gained traction after Smith showed visible frustration during the Oregon loss, when the Buckeyes blew a 14-0 lead and fell to 6-3 after Julian Sayin’s season-ending elbow injury forced freshman Luke Fahey into the lineup. But Smith himself has not said he is done. Instead, he reposted a public defense of his effort and maturity after being criticized locally, a signal that he still sees himself as part of the team’s push. Just as important, Ohio State is not eliminated. The Buckeyes remain mathematically alive for both the Big Ten title game and the College Football Playoff, and ESPN’s FPI still gives them a 41.8% playoff chance if they win out and get help. There are also football reasons for Smith to keep playing. He is still chasing major individual honors, including the Biletnikoff Award, and the regular-season finale against Michigan carries obvious weight after his public vow not to lose to the Wolverines. Unless Ohio State is officially eliminated or Smith announces otherwise, the fairest read is that he is expected to continue playing. Right now, “he may shut it down” is speculation, not fact.

3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Nov 9

Damien Harris said Jeremiah Smith may have played his last snap for Ohio State, arguing the star receiver has little left to gain after the Buckeyes' 41-28 loss to Oregon.
Two straight losses followed quarterback Julian Sayin's season-ending arm injury on Oct. 17, dropping Ohio State from No. 2 and leaving its playoff hopes in serious doubt.
Smith's visible frustration during the Oregon game fueled the speculation, and local radio host Jeremy Birmingham blasted the captain's sideline behavior as unacceptable.
No sit-out decision has been announced, and Smith reposted a defense of his effort in Columbus, suggesting he still wants to compete.
Three regular-season games remain—Northwestern, Nebraska and Michigan—and Ohio State is still technically alive for the Big Ten title game and a playoff berth.