New stats prove how dominant Julian Sayin and Jeremiah Smith have been for Buckeyes

Over the past two games Julian Sayin has been perfect when targeting Jeremiah Smith as the two of them dominate college football

Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Jeremiah Smith (4) catches a touchdown pass in front of Penn State Nittany Lions cornerback Elliot Washington II (9) during the NCAA football game at Ohio Stadium in Columbus on Nov. 1, 2025. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Most college football fans know that Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin and wide receiver Jeremiah Smith have been one of the best tandems this season, but one stat shows just how good they’ve been over the past couple weeks.

This season Jeremiah Smith has caught 65 passes for 862 yards and 10 touchdowns. Over the past two games though, things have really ramped up in Sayin and Smith’s connection.

Sayin has targeted Smith 16 times in those games, and completed 16 passes. Smith has 260 yards and three scores off of those catches.

It all started in the game against Penn State. A classic rivalry with a struggling Nittany Lions team, it had trap game written all over it. The two wouldn’t allow it though, with Sayin firing six passes over to Smith.

Smith went for 123 yards and two touchdowns on the day as the Buckeyes took care of business 38-14. These weren’t easy passes to complete either. The day included a 57-yard bomb to Smith in triple coverage, and a deflected pass that Smith had to reach backwards and grab with one hand to hang onto.

The two did everything that was asked of them, and things only got better as the Buckeyes took on the Purdue Boilermakers.

The other star wide receiver, Carnell Tate, was inactive after tweaking a hamstring during warmups. That meant Smith would have to step up even more, and he did just that.

Sayin fired 10 passes his way, and Smith caught all 10, a career-high for him. He racked up 137 yards and a touchdown to get the offense going. Their connection would lead to a 34-10 win as the Buckeyes remained undefeated.

All that means the ball hasn’t even touched the ground when Sayin looks Smith’s way over the past two games. To be fair though, Sayin hasn’t let many balls hit the ground when targeting anyone.

Sayin has an 81% completion rate so far this season, the highest among all NCAA quarterbacks. He has thrown for 2,491 yards and 24 touchdowns this season, compared to just four interceptions.

Pair that accuracy up with the player with the best hands, and best route running ability, in all of college football, and it’s a recipe for success. 

If this connection can continue to be productive for the rest of the season, there isn’t a defense that can stop the Buckeyes. It also seems like theHeisman trophy should be heading to one of those two players.