Regarding Ohio State’s Week 1 matchup with the Texas Longhorns, Jeremiah Smith isn’t holding anything when he says, “About that game I had last year.”

Jeremiah Smith isn’t holding anything back when he says, “About that game I had last year.” He’s speaking plainly, raw and hungry, about the College Football Playoff semifinal in early January 2025, when he was held to a single catch for just three yards against Texas  his lowest output of the season yet the Buckeyes still prevailed en route to the national championship. He remembered, acutely. The Longhorns executed their game plan perfectly, allocating multiple defenders to take him out of the game. This chasing shadow of his underperformance, as he put it, still lingers in his mind. He admitted later that night, “it was pretty frustrating for me,” though he tempered it with a team-first perspective: the Buckeyes still advanced to the national title game, so “I was happy with it” even amid personal disappointment

Now, with the Longhorns coming to Columbus to open the 2025 season on August 30, Smith is back in that moment mentally, rewriting the narrative in his own words. He declared in a media session that he’s “definitely hyped about this one, especially with how things went last year  things people saying about me, about that game I had last year. I’m definitely hungry for this one, for sure.” It was not bravado, he explained, but confidence grounded in anger turned fuel

At Big Ten media days in July, Smith didn’t soften his tone when calling for redemption. Asked about his outlook for the season opener, he leaned into it: “We had a great game last year against them. But like you said, they did a couple of things taking me out of the game. But me, Coach Hartline and Coach Ryan Day—we just had a conversation about it. Certain things we’ll go through this year for them not to do that. So it’s definitely going to be a different outcome.” It was not just talk—he framed it as preparation, adjustments, and accountability .

Smith’s frustration is not misplaced. As a freshman in 2024, he was electric—76 receptions, 1,315 receiving yards, 15 touchdowns; he led the FBS in freshman receiving stats, won Big Ten Freshman of the Year and Receiver of the Year, and was named a First-Team All-American . Yet Texas figured him out in the semifinal: double‑teamed, bracket‑covered, schemed against effectively. Head coach Steve Sarkisian made no effort to hide how important it was that Ohio State’s top weapon be neutralized. He remarked on national TV that “you’d better know where No. 4 is at all times,” that Ohio State would move him around, and that he reminded Sarkisian of Julio Jones—big, physical but fast, dangerous in contested catch situations. Yet they managed to hold him to just three yards on one catch. It was no fluke it was planning, discipline, and focus.

Smith clearly took it personally. Not because the team lost  they didn’t  but because he expects dominance. He told reporters he’s still adjusting mentally to being a superstar, that he hesitated in certain moments last season, didn’t always play at full speed, and that he’s ready in Year 2 to unleash his full potential: “It’s gonna be scary this year”

His remarks about “that game I had last year” echo those sentiments: he’s not brushing past it; he’s carrying it forward as motivation. When he said, “things people saying about me,” it reflects awareness of the narrative that Texas shut him down—that he wasn’t elite yet; that he could be contained. That feels like a challenge. And his answer is blunt: expect something completely different in this season opener. Throw out the script from last time. Expect him to break more tackles, win more catches, and be the central receiving threat again.

Ohio State fans and analysts picked up on the same storyline. Fan surveys rank Smith as the favorite pick for Ohio State’s offensive MVP this season, widely seen as the best offensive player in the country heading into camp. Even with increased defensive attention now that Emeka Egbuka is in the NFL, Smith’s promise and explosive freshman campaign still make him the focus of the offense. The Buckeyes will need to figure out how to get him the ball consistently, regardless of who’s under center in a still-open quarterback battle

Back to that first salvo: Smith’s saying “About that game I had last year” isn’t just lip service. It’s a declaration. He looks at the replay, he shakes his head at what Texas did, he’s still pissed about the boxscore. But it’s bottled now, not lost. Redemption is scheduled for August 30 in Columbus. It’s his chance to erase the silence from the Cotton Bowl stat sheet, to validate that his freshman year’s success wasn’t an aberration. He’s promised adjustments between him, his position coach Brian Hartline, and head coach Ryan Day. That kind of accountability and preparation is rare to hear at that level of confidence.

In front of the media during fall camp, there was no pretense: “I’m definitely hungry to face Texas.” No qualifiers. Not “we’ll see how it goes.” Just hunger. It energized coverage. One outlet headlined that simple phrase, spotlighting how he’s doubled down on that semifinal performance and insists something drastically different is coming this year

When Sarkisian penned his warning—that everyone better know where No. 4 is at all times—it underscored how much damage Smith can do. He’s not just another target—he’s the arrow guiding coverage and defensive planning. That only amplifies what he’s saying now. If Texas adjusts again with their focus, Ohio State better counter. This isn’t just physical  it’s chess. Smith sees that and frames it as a challenge: they tried to take me away, failed, and this time we’ll win the adjustments battle before kickoff. He’s internalized that challenge and is now preaching the remedy publicly.

Smith’s messaging also carries emotional weight for the Ohio State locker room. Other targets will feed. Tate, Inniss, Adolph, Scott Jr. all stepped up during six-man coverage on Smith last January to push OSU past Texas. But nothing shifts morale like your star receiver saying “I’m gonna show up this time.” It’s a leadership play, even if he claims quietness by nature. His teammates know he’s capable—and that maybe he was held too quiet last time. They listen when he speaks intention like this.

Millions of fans and NFL draft analysts are already tracking Smith’s projected trajectory. Some models suggest he could become one of the highest‑paid WRs in NFL history  possibly locking in a six‑year, $200‑million deal by 2030. Those projections start with dominance at the collegiate level, and Week 1 against Texas is the opening chapter of Smith’s sophomore year narrative  emphatically. Analysts and sportsbooks already list him among Heisman Trophy contenders, despite uncertainty at quarterback or running back. That status relies heavily on him delivering again, and delivering loudly, on national television in prime time opener versus Texas

So the repeated line  “About that game I had last year”  is far more than a throwaway. It’s a thesis statement for a rematch storyline. He’s acknowledging a worst statistical performance, owning it publicly, letting opponents know he remembers, and promising retribution. No excuses, just preparation. No nostalgia, just anticipation. The emphasis on “things people saying about me” reveals how he processes criticism: redirect it into energy. And “I’m definitely hungry for this one” confirms it: he’s ready to break silence, break out, and break expectations all over again.

Jeremiah Smith isn’t just looking to play better in Week 1. He’s seeking correction, affirmation, and emotional recalibration. He’s reminding everyone  and maybe himself  that one bad stat line doesn’t define him. But it does motivate him. And when that motivation comes with preparation, accountability conversations with the coaches, and a mindset to command coverage differently, it can be transformative. He’s promised no repeat of the semifinal’s minimal impact. Instead, he’s offering dominance, redemption, and a different outcome—on his terms. That’s why he said, “About that game I had last year.” He’s not forgetting it. He’s rewriting what comes next.