Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith tied a program record with four touchdown catches and posted career highs of 12 receptions for 217 yards, leading the seventh-ranked Buckeyes to a 42-19 victory over Illinois in their Big Ten opener on September 26, 2026.
Data from Sportradar indicates that an FBS player has achieved 10 or more catches, at least 200 yards, and four touchdowns in a single contest for the 23rd time since 2000. The last to do it was Western Michigan’s Sky Moore against Northern Illinois in 2021. The standout performance at Ohio Stadium pushed the phenom’s early push for this year’s Heisman Trophy. Quarterback Julian Sayin orchestrated the offensive surge as the Buckeyes improved to 3-1 overall and 1-0 in Big Ten play.
Jeremiah Smith Ties Single-Game Records With Historic Receiving Night
Smith wasted no time taking control of the afternoon. On the game’s opening drive, he hauled in a 7-yard touchdown pass from Sayin to put the Buckeyes on the board. He struck again with a 72-yard score.
By halftime, Smith already had three touchdowns. He secured his record-tying fourth score with 10:07 remaining in the fourth quarter, finding himself wide open on a 26-yard reception that extended the Buckeyes’ lead to 35-13. His four-touchdown game matches a feat previously accomplished by only four other Ohio State receivers, with the last time it happened before Saturday being Noah Brown at Oklahoma in 2016. Those receptions and receiving yards also matched the sixth-highest totals ever recorded in a single OSU game for both categories. Smith additionally claimed the distinction of being the third Power Four conference receiver since 2015 to log a minimum of three halves featuring at least 150 receiving yards and two touchdowns.
Julian Sayin Adds Ground Production
While Smith dominated through the air, Sayin expanded his own offensive impact by utilizing his legs. Facing the Fighting Illini for the second time, Sayin accumulated 29 rushing yards alongside a touchdown. The quarterback’s 7-yard scoring run more than doubled the length of his first-ever career rushing touchdown, which came during the season-opener against Ball State. Having finished his freshman season as a starter with negative 44 rushing yards, Sayin entered the current campaign with the goal of improving his running efficiency. Following his team’s 34-16 defeat to the Buckeyes last season, Illinois head coach Bret Bielema forecasted that Sayin would begin making greater use of his rushing ability.
Illinois Fights Back and Coaches React
At 2:36 in the fourth quarter, Ja’Kobi Jackson caps an eight-play 43-yard drive with a Buckeye TD to make it Ohio State 42, Illinois 19. Illinois coach Bret Bielema offered his assessment of defending Ohio State’s star receiver: No. 4 is obviously a very talented player for them, but we just in critical moments just got to do a better job of having an awareness of where he is and double him up.
Bielema added: “I knew [Smith] was obviously going to do some stuff down the field, but I thought he hurt more on early downs. … I think we’ve got to work specifically that we’re not tipping some things. They were checking some things at the line of scrimmage that created some big, big plays for them – two touchdowns that, in my opinion, they knew what we were in and were able to change the call.” Bielema also noted: That guy creates unique matchup issues. … Everybody wants to point to coverage, but a lot of times big pass opportunities are because of the rush. And we just got to make sure we coordinate that better.
Bielema concluded: He’s pretty good. He’s pretty good. Yeah, I said it last year.
The Road Ahead
The No. 7 Buckeyes made their way back to Ohio Stadium on the heels of a 59-3 blowout of Kent State, aiming to clean up some of the miscues that plagued them during a narrow one-point loss earlier in the year at Texas. Standing in their way was an Illinois team that entered Saturday at 2-1 and featured one of the Big Ten’s most productive passing attacks. Ohio State has dominated the series in recent years, and this latest victory opened Big Ten play in dominant fashion at Ohio Stadium.
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