Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Devin McCuin (3) high fives wide receiver Jeremiah Smith (4) after a touchdown during the NCAA football game against the Oregon Ducks at Ohio Stadium in Columbus on Nov. 7, 2026. Ohio State lost 41-28. Kevin Harrish · The Comeback Sun, November 8, 2026 at 6:02 AM UTC · 3 min read About Our Ads Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jeremiah Smith has been one of the few bright spots for the Ohio State Buckeyes during a frustrating stretch, but his frustration boiled over during Saturday's loss to Oregon as the star wide receiver was visibly frustrated and animated as he yelled toward the sideline in the second half as the Ducks pulled away.
While the commentators during the game largely praised Smith's intensity, pointing to his competitiveness, not everyone around the program was sympathetic. One longtime Ohio State reporter ripped Smith for the outburst, saying that a player of his stature can't act like "a petulant child," no matter how badly things are going.
Ohio State jumped out to a 14-0 lead over Oregon at Ohio Stadium on Saturday, but the Ducks scored 38 straight points on their way to a 41-28 win. The loss was the Buckeyes' second straight and third of the season, and head coach Ryan Day said afterward that "there needs to be accountability" for the team's struggles.
Smith went more than two full quarters without a catch during that stretch. Late in the third quarter, with Ohio State trailing 31-14, he finally hauled in a pass and then was seen screaming toward the sideline, as captured by SportsCenter .
It wasn't the first time that Smith's usage has been a talking point. After the Buckeyes' 30-18 loss to USC the previous week, Fox's Joel Klatt said that Ohio State's approach with Smith "can't be your game plan" for a player of his caliber.
Smith did eventually get going late, finishing the game with seven catches for 133 yards and a touchdown. But by then, the game was well out of reach.
Jeremy Birmingham, who has covered the program for well over a decade and currently covers the Buckeyes for 97.1 The Fan, wasn't willing to give Smith a pass for the outburst.
"You cannot be the best player in the country and a captain and all of the things that Jeremiah Smith is and go stomping down the field like a petulant child," Birmingham said on 97.1 The Fan's Snap Judgments after the game.
Smith is a team captain and widely viewed as the face of the program, so his reactions on the field are going to be noticed by teammates, coaches, and fans alike.
Of course, plenty of Ohio State fans would argue that Smith had every right to be frustrated, considering how little he was involved for much of the game. And with Day already promising changes, how the Buckeyes use their best player is likely to be one of the biggest questions going forward.
Needless to say, it has been a rough couple of weeks in Columbus.
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Source: Sports
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