Sports · NEWS EXPLAINER
Jeremiah Smith breaks two Ohio State records in 31–14 win at Iowa
Smith caught 11 passes for 206 yards and two touchdowns, finishing with school records of 207 career receptions and 36 touchdown catches. His receiving-yardage record was already established.
No. 5 Ohio State beat No. 14 Iowa 31–14 at Kinnick Stadium on October 3 as Jeremiah Smith caught 11 passes for 206 yards and two touchdowns. The junior broke the school’s career records for receptions and receiving touchdowns, adding two new marks to the receiving-yardage record he already held.
It was Ohio State’s first road win and first victory over a ranked opponent this season. The Buckeyes moved to 4–1 overall and 2–0 in the Big Ten, while Iowa took its first loss and fell to 4–1 overall and 1–1 in conference play.
Two career records change hands
The previous school marks were Emeka Egbuka’s 205 career receptions and Chris Olave’s 35 receiving touchdowns. Smith finished Saturday with 207 receptions and 36 touchdown catches, moving ahead of both former Buckeyes.
Smith’s 10th catch of the game was his 206th for Ohio State, the one that took him past Egbuka. He added one more catch before the finish. The 206 receiving yards he gained against Iowa are a separate game statistic.
Two touchdowns either side of halftime
Smith’s first touchdown came on a 12-yard pass from Julian Sayin with 12 seconds left in the second quarter. It gave Ohio State a 17–6 halftime lead and tied Olave’s touchdown record. With 6:11 remaining in the third quarter, Sayin found Smith for a 57-yard score to make it 24–6 and give him the record outright.
Ja’Kobi Jackson’s seven-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter extended the lead to 31–6. Braeden Jackson’s two-yard run and Iowa’s successful two-point conversion cut it to 31–14 with 9:30 left. Ohio State then kept the ball for the rest of the game.
Ohio State’s advantage beyond Smith
Ohio State gained 484 total yards, split between 324 passing and 160 rushing. Iowa finished with 238: 199 through the air and 39 on the ground. The Buckeyes held the ball for 38:02, compared with Iowa’s 21:58.
Sayin completed 20 of 27 passes, threw three touchdowns and avoided an interception. Devin McCuin contributed four catches for 80 yards and the opening touchdown, while Ja’Kobi Jackson ran for 72 yards.
The yardage record was already Smith’s
Smith ended the game with 3,381 career receiving yards. Ohio State’s record account says he passed Michael Jenkins’ previous mark of 2,898 against Kent State on September 19. The Iowa game extended that lead; it did not establish a third new career record.
His 206-yard afternoon also gave him 15 career games with at least 100 receiving yards, tying Marvin Harrison Jr.’s school mark. That distinction remains shared.
