Why Jeremiah Smith's Biletnikoff Award snub could be positive for Ohio State

Ohio State's standout receiver, Jeremiah Smith was unable to take home the Biletnikoff Award for best receiver in college football on Friday night.

Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Jeremiah Smith (4) catches a pass during the first half of the Big Ten Conference championship game against the Indiana Hoosiers at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on Dec. 6, 2025. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Jeremiah Smith is one of the top wide receivers in college football, yet he was unable to secure the Biletnikoff Award.

The Biletnikoff Award is given to recognize the top wide receiver in college football, and this year, the honor has gone to Makai Lemon from USC.

Lemon had a standout season, recording 79 receptions for 1,156 yards and 11 touchdowns over 12 games. On the other hand, Smith also had an impressive performance, making 80 receptions for 1,086 yards and matching Lemon with 11 touchdowns in the same number of games.

One reason Lemon may have won the award is that Smith missed a game and a half last month. Smith was dealing with an injury that kept him out of the second half during the Buckeyes' win over UCLA and caused him to miss the game against Rutgers the following week.

Was Jeremiah Smith robbed for the Biletnikoff Award?

It's quite surprising that Smith didn't win the Biletnikoff Award, especially since he was recognized as the Big Ten Receiver of the Year, beating out Lemon, who also plays in the conference.

It's hard to understand how Smith, who outperformed Lemon for the title of best receiver in the conference, didn't manage to take the top spot as the best receiver in the county.

It would be understandable if Smith lost to a player who wasn't in the Big Ten, but there is no reasonable explanation of how he could lose to someone he already beat for the conference award.

What it means for Ohio State moving forward

The positive side is that Smith can now step onto the field with a significant chip on his shoulder. Individual players often aim to walk away with awards, but the most crucial goal is to secure the national championship, and the Buckeyes have a real shot at achieving that.

Smith can demonstrate to the Biletnikoff Award voters that he should've won the accolade with standout performances in the College Football Playoffs.

Ohio State will kick off its journey to defend its national championship title on Dec. 31 in the Cotton Bowl. The Buckeyes are still waiting to learn their opponent, as they will face the winner of the Miami-Texas A&M matchup.

Whoever Ohio State plays next, better be prepared to compete with Smith, who will likely be looking to deliver one of the best performances of his career.

Ohio State already had extra motivation to win the championship after losing its perfect season to Indiana last week in the Big Ten title game, and now Smith will add even more fuel to that fire.