Jeremiah Smith moves to the top of Ohio State's receiving yardage record book

Ohio State's 59-3 victory over Kent State was a rout, but the lasting development came from Jeremiah Smith's place in the program record book. Smith caught five passes for 85 yards Saturday, moving past Michael Jenkins for the most receiving yards in Ohio State history.

The Buckeyes had already identified the record as a live target before kickoff. Ohio State's game preview said Smith entered the afternoon with 2,873 career receiving yards, 26 behind Jenkins' mark of 2,898. His 85-yard afternoon put him at 2,958. The same preview said Smith was also approaching the school records for receptions and receiving touchdowns, but the yardage record was the one he cleared against Kent State.

The record came inside a complete Ohio State performance. Julian Sayin completed 18 of 22 passes for 241 yards and two touchdowns. Bo Jackson ran 11 times for 73 yards and a touchdown, while Ja'Kobi Jackson scored twice. Ohio State led 35-0 at halftime, finished with 527 total yards and forced Kent State into three turnovers. Kent State managed 134 yards, six first downs and 35 passing yards from Dru DeShields.

Ohio State's scoring sequence showed how quickly the game moved away from the Golden Flashes. Ja'Kobi Jackson opened with an 11-yard run, Nate Roberts caught a six-yard touchdown, Isaiah West and Bo Jackson added rushing scores, and Brandon Inniss caught a 49-yard pass from Sayin. Ja'Kobi Jackson's second touchdown, Chris Henry Jr.'s 75-yard reception and Jamir Perez's 11-yard fumble return pushed the margin to 56-0 before the teams traded fourth-quarter field goals.

Smith's record is consequential because it arrives in his third season, with two other major Ohio State receiving marks still within reach. The school's official roster lists his pre-2026 totals and record chase, and the career-yardage mark gives Ohio State a clear statistical milestone to carry into the conference schedule today.

Ohio State's earlier Texas recap documented that he had already moved into the upper tier of the program's reception and touchdown lists. Saturday's five catches added another line to a record-setting start before Big Ten play. The afternoon therefore carried a measurable program milestone even as the mismatch made the outcome itself predictable.