Prior to the National Championship Game against the Ohio State Buckeyes, multiple Notre Dame Fighting Irish players mentioned they wouldn’t change their game plan to account for freshman phenom Jeremiah Smith, who’d obliterated the Oregon Ducks and Tennessee Volunteers in the College Football Playoff already.
A Notre Dame fan account posted a similar sentiment that Smith made sure to respond to following the Buckeyes’ championship win, which included a game-sealing play by the true freshman receiver.
Ohio State Receiver Jeremiah Smith Responds to Notre Dame Fan Account
Smith kept the receipts.
Following the Buckeyes’ win over the Fighting Irish, 34-23, in the College Football Playoff National Championship Game, Smith made sure to circle back to a social media post from earlier in the week.
The post came from a Notre Dame fan account with a photo of the Fighting Irish secondary. The caption read, “‘Jeremiah smith this, Jeremiah smith that’ blah blah blah. Welcome to the no fly zone #GoIrish #NoFlyZone #Man2Man.”
Smith responded to the post, which had become comical at that point due to how wrong it ended up being. Four laughing emojis capped off with a thumbs down completed Smith’s troll job. No words, just making his presence — and the result — known.
🤣🤣🤣🤣👎🏾 https://t.co/1myLRV6DVR
— Jeremiah Smith (@Jermiah_Smith1) January 21, 2025
His play on the field is much the same. Smith is not a big talker. Following the Buckeyes’ quarterfinals victory over the Oregon Ducks, where Smith put on an absolute show (seven receptions for 187 yards and two touchdowns), ESPN’s Rece Davis asked the receiver the question.
“Can anybody stop you?” Davis asked.
“No,” Smith responded in a matter-of-fact tone, followed by a laugh.
The trend remained the same against the Fighting Irish. On his first-quarter TD reception, simply nobody guarded him — a costly gaffe by the Notre Dame defense who watched as Smith threw up the deuces as he walked into the end zone from eight yards out.
While that play was due as much to offensive coordinator Chip Kelly’s play-design acumen, Smith’s skills were felt throughout the game.
KEEP READING: Where Does Smith Rank Among the Top 100 True Freshmen in College Football Last Season?
In total, Smith finished with five catches for 88 yards and that touchdown — along with the play that sealed Ohio State’s fate as national champions.
Up 31-23 and facing a 3rd-and-11 with just under three minutes remaining, the Irish needed a stop. They opted to blitz, leaving Smith 1-on-1 on the outside.
As they say, it was barbecue chicken from there. Smith stemmed his route inside, running directly at the defender before darting upfield — a simple fade route on the game’s biggest play.
Howard reared back and let it rip, trusting his star true freshman receiver one more time with the season potentially on the line.
Smith, who’d created at least three yards of separation, reeled the ball in and was brought down at the Notre Dame 10-yard line, effectively ending the Fighting Irish’s hopes. A field goal after four run plays pushed the lead to 11, securing a national championship for the Buckeyes.
Smith got the last laugh — a national championship and proving the post completely wrong. Winners get to talk, and Smith made his presence felt once again.
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