The No. 12 Ohio State Buckeyes’ season went from bad to worse on Saturday, and their best player let everyone know exactly how he felt about it.
Ohio State jumped out to a 14-0 lead over the No. 23 Oregon Ducks at Ohio Stadium, only to watch the Ducks score 38 straight points on their way to a 41-28 upset win in Columbus.
Star wide receiver Jeremiah Smith had seen enough by the end of the third quarter.
Cameras caught Smith screaming toward the Ohio State sideline after finally making a catch — a moment that quickly went viral on social media as the Buckeyes dropped their second straight game.
Jeremiah Smith Loses it on Ohio State Sideline
The outburst came late in the third quarter with Ohio State trailing 31-14.
“JEREMIAH SMITH FRUSTRATED 😳 Smith was seen screaming toward the sideline as Ohio State trailed Oregon 31-14 late in the third quarter,” SportsCenter posted on X along with video of his outburst (which can be seen here).
It’s not clear what Smith was yelling or who it was directed at. But one can imagine why he was upset. The catch that set him off was his first since the first quarter, which likely caused him to give the coaching staff a piece of his mind.
Smith went the entire second quarter and most of the third without a target while Oregon was running away with the game, and he had just four catches for 46 yards through three quarters.
The Buckeyes finally got him going in the fourth. Smith finished with seven catches for 133 yards and a touchdown, but by then the damage was done.
He wasn’t the only one who was frustrated, either. Ohio State fans booed quarterback Luke Fahey and head coach Ryan Day as the Ducks piled on the points.
Ohio State’s QB Problem is Catching Up to Jeremiah Smith
Smith is widely considered the best player in college football. However, life has looked a lot different for him without starting quarterback Julian Sayin.
Sayin is out with an arm injury, and Fahey made his second straight start in his place. To his credit, Fahey put up big numbers. He completed 36 of 50 passes for 360 yards with two touchdowns and an interception.
But the offense stalled for most of the middle two quarters. And Ohio State struggled to get the ball to its best weapon when it needed him most. Fellow wide receiver Devin McQuin actually led the team with nine catches (for 84 yards). Running back Bo Jackson added seven grabs out of the backfield.
The defense didn’t help matters either. Oregon quarterback Dylan Raiola had all day to throw, as the Buckeyes failed to put any real pressure on him during the Ducks’ 38-point run.
The loss drops Ohio State to 6-3 after previous defeats against Texas and USC. Their College Football Playoff hopes are now hanging by a thread.
Jeremiah Smith Loses It on Ohio State Coaches in Heated Outburst During Oregon Loss