The Ohio State Buckeyes were unable to finish the 2025 college football season how they wanted, losing in their first College Football Playoff matchup against the Miami Hurricanes.
At the end of the day, the Hurricanes went on to the National Championship. They lost to the Indiana Hoosiers in that game, but they were one of the top two teams in the nation. Ohio State has nothing to hang its head about.
However, the 2026 season will give the Buckeyes a chance at revenge. They are returning the two biggest pieces of the offense in quarterback Julian Sayin and wide receiver Jeremiah Smith. On both sides of the ball, Ohio State will have elite talent.
Smith was clearly unhappy with how the season ended. He has now made it clear how motivated he is to come back even better next season.
Ohio State’s Jeremiah Smith Sends Pointed Warning to the Nation
Now that the season is officially over, Smith spoke out about next year. His words are nightmare fuel for any opponent on the Buckeyes’ schedule.
“I’m gonna just be on go every game,” Smith said. “I feel like this year they took something from me and everybody’s gotta pay for it…I’m out for everybody.”
After breaking out as a superstar during his freshman season in 2024 with 76 receptions for 1,315 yards and 15 touchdowns, Smith was expected to have an even bigger sophomore year. He was good, but there wasn’t a big leap.
In 2025, Smith racked up 87 receptions for 1,243 yards and 12 touchdowns. He had more receptions, but came up short on yardage and touchdowns.
Smith will simply use that as motivation. Next season, he’ll be out to prove something. Playing with a chip on his shoulder will make Ohio State even more dangerous offensively.
Ohio State Is Losing a Lot of Talent from the 2025 Roster
While the Buckeyes should be considered a legitimate contender heading into the 2026 season, the fact of the matter is that they are going to lose a lot of talent to the NFL.
Among the players who will be leaving Ohio State for the 2026 NFL Draft are star safety Caleb Downs, star wide receiver Carnell Tate, linebacker Arvell Reese, linebacker Sonny Styles, defensive lineman Kayden McDonald, tight end Max Klare, and cornerback Davison Igbinosun.
There are other players who will be drafted as well, but those are a handful of names departing from Columbus.
Keeping that in mind, the Buckeyes are going to need their best stars to step up. Smith will be asked to be a huge part of keeping Ohio State in the hunt for a National Championship.
It will be interesting to see what kind of junior season Smith can put together. He’s expected to be a top-10 pick in the 2027 NFL Draft and an even bigger third college season could give him a shot at moving into the top-five.
Ohio State’s Jeremiah Smith Sends Clear Warning to College Football