Jeremiah Smith Says He Would Have Been a Hurricane if it Wasn't for Timing
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Timing is a funny thing. It can introduce new perspectives and even open up pathways to thought on previous actions such as, say, leaving your hometown to go play for a perennial College Football powerhouse.
In his mid-week press conference ahead of this weekend's Cotton Bowl, Ohio State wideout and South Florida native Jeremiah Smith talked a lot about timing. During his recruitment, Miami had yet to see the resurgence it has under the current staff and players. The Hurricanes came knocking at Smith's door, for sure, but so did Ohio State, which has been a consistent presence in the College Football Playoff each year since its inception.
Fast forward to now, and Smith is considered by most to be the best wide receiver in all of college football. After registering over 1,300 yards receiving last year and 15 touchdowns, Smith has already crossed the 1,000-yard mark this year and added another 11 scoring receptions to his name. Out of high school, he was the No. 1 player in the country out of Chaminade-Madonna, where he drew comparisons to the likes of Julio Jones and other NFL greats.
As a native of Opa Locka, Florida, this weekend's game against Miami is Smith's opportunity to see the faces of players he became more than familiar with during his upbringing before signing with Ohio State. In fact, Smith said that if he were coming out of high school right now, he probably would be a Hurricane instead of a Buckeye.
"I probably would have ended up going to Miami if things were on the right track then and there," said Smith. "But I chose to stick with Ohio State."
Had the Miami program been at the place where it is today, Jeremiah Smith says he would’ve been a Hurricane pic.twitter.com/zPjmGTXwNa
— CaneSport Miami Hurricanes (@CaneSport) December 29, 2025
The two programs have their own share of sorted history. Despite only having lined up across from one another four times, the Miami and Ohio State football programs are two of the most storied in the country, and have each won two of those previous meetings.
In Dallas, Texas, on New Year's Eve, the two will meet again for a tie breaker matchup that will decide who advances to the semi-finals of the College Football Playoff. The Hurricanes and head coach Mario Cristobal have scratched their way to this point, holding the SEC's Texas A&M Aggies to just three points on their own turf.
Ohio State has decimated its competition in the second half of the season and hasn't taken the field in its fair share of weeks.
There have been some classic college football matchups between these two programs before, and this weekend is trending towards another one unfolding when play begins at 7:30 on New Year's Eve.
