Cignetti Calls Ohio State's Jeremiah Smith Unmatched Before Showdown
Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti praised Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith in blunt terms ahead of Saturday's matchup between the two unbeaten-or-close-to-it Big Ten powers. "He's taken it up a notch, without question. I think he has nine touchdown catches in the last three Power Four conference games. There's no one like him right now playing at this level," Cignetti said Monday. "He's a freak, and we're going to have to do a great job on him."
No. 5 Indiana (6-0) hosts No. 4 Ohio State (5-1) on Saturday at noon ET, with the game airing nationally and featuring on-site pregame coverage from Bloomington. The matchup carries extra weight given last season's history: Indiana defeated Ohio State in the Big Ten Championship game on its way to the program's first national title. The Hoosiers enter this game off a narrow escape in Week 6, rallying from an 11-point fourth-quarter deficit to beat Nebraska 20-17. surfing betting site
Smith, now in his third season at Ohio State, has emerged as the program's all-time leader in receptions (211), receiving yards (3,474) and receiving touchdowns (38) - marks reached in just over two full seasons. This year alone, he has posted 48 receptions for 916 yards and 11 touchdowns through six games, figures that lead the Big Ten and rank second nationally. Over Ohio State's wins against Iowa and Illinois, he combined for 23 catches, 423 yards and six touchdowns before the team's Week 6 victory over Maryland. In 2025, he led the conference with 87 receptions and 1,243 receiving yards; in 2024, he topped the Big Ten with 1,315 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns.
The stakes extend beyond individual production. Ohio State's offense ranks first in the Big Ten in total yards (503.5 per game) and scoring (42.7 points per game), while Indiana's defense allows the fewest points in the conference (11.8 per game) and ranks third in total yards allowed (263.5 per game). On the other side, Indiana's offense ranks second in the Big Ten in total yards (462.7 per game) and third in scoring (40.2 points per game), facing an Ohio State defense that ranks second in the conference in both yards allowed (246.8 per game) and points allowed (13.2 per game). The result will shape Big Ten and College Football Playoff positioning as both teams push toward the postseason.
