Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian had been vocal about his admiration of the Ohio State Buckeyes football team ahead of their Cotton Bowl Game. He praised Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day, QB Will Howard, and the entire team, referring to them as the “best team in college football.”
Recently, he highlighted Ohio State’s receiving corps, pointing out how difficult it was set to be to handle them. He pointed out specific players, including Jeremiah Smith and Emeka Egbuka, stressing how they are near-impossible to contain.
Steve Sarkisian Shares Honey Thoughts on Ohio State’s Jeremiah Smith and Emeka Egbuka
Sarkisian had been honest about the gargantuan task of defeating the Buckeyes at the Cotton Bowl, and it seems Smith and Egbuka were his biggest worries.
“They’re both big, physical players,” Sarkisian said about the duo. “They have length. They have speed. They have play-making ability on the ball. They have really big catch radiuses. They’ve got the scheme to go with it, with Coach Kelly and Coach Day. They’ve got a quarterback who delivers them the ball.”
“So, you add all that up, these guys are impactful players that are real issues,” Sarkisian continued. “We’re going to have a hard time guarding them.”
Following the game, Sarkisian’s words rang true, considering how well the Buckeyes performed in the Cotton Bowl game. And yet, it wasn’t the duo he mentioned that stole the show as the Longhorns did in fact do a decent job of shutting down the star-studded Smith and Egbuka. But it wasn’t enough.
Jeremiah Smith’s Performance Against Texas Catches Fans’ Attention Despite Ohio State Victory
Ohio State’s star wide receiver, despite his bold postgame declaration of “1 more,” signaling his focus on the National Championship matchup against Notre Dame, delivered an unexpectedly underwhelming performance.
He finished the game with just one reception for three yards—a sharp contrast to his usual dominance. Smith has been a key player in the Buckeyes’ offense, putting up standout numbers in previous games. Against the Oregon Ducks, he tallied two touchdowns and 187 yards on seven receptions. In the first round, he delivered a similarly impressive performance with two touchdowns and 103 yards on six receptions.
Whether Smith was neutralized by Steve Sarkisian’s game plan or simply wasn’t mentally in the game remains unclear. Fans, however, didn’t hold back, taking the opportunity to poke fun at the wide receiver’s lackluster showing.
One fan tweeted, “Ohio State just beat Texas with Jeremiah Smith basically not existing.”
Ohio state just beat Texas with Jeremiah Smith basically not existing 😂😂😂
— NeverMadeJB (@NeverMadeJB) January 11, 2025
Another fan said, “We gotta give Texas their flowers. They did what no other team could. They shut down Jeremiah Smith.”
We gotta give Texas their flowers. They did what no other team could. They shut down Jeremiah Smith
— Jeremiah Smith Enjoyer (@JJSmithEnjoyer4) January 11, 2025
A fan also tweeted, “Jeremiah Smith think just cuz they won we cant see he had 3 yards.”
Jeremiah Smith think just cuz they won we cant see he had 3 yards
— Quin (@FinkUp100) January 11, 2025
Smith, Egbuka, and the Buckeyes now shift their focus to a date with Notre Dame in the National Championship on January 20.
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