Ohio State WR Jeremiah Smith Makes Prediction vs. Texas Longhorns

AUSTIN -- The Texas Longhorns pulled out all of the stops in order to contain Ohio State Buckeyes star wide receiver Jeremiah Smith in the College Football Playoff Semifinals at the Cotton Bowl last season, though it didn't result in a trip to the National Championship.

In the 28-14 win for Ohio State, Smith finished with just one catch for three yards, by far his worst statisical performance of his stellar freshman season. He gashed the other three teams Ohio State played -- Tennessee, Oregon and Notre Dame -- during the team's title-winning CFP run, but was silenced against Texas before ending the postseason with 19 catches for 381 yards and five touchdowns.

With the season opener against Texas now fast approaching on Aug. 30, Smith isn't shying away about what he expects from himself this time around against the Longhorns.

Jeremiah Smith Predicts "Different Outcome" vs. Texas

While speaking to reporters at Big Ten Media Days on Tuesday, Smith didn't sugarcoat things by predicting a much-improved performance from himself against Texas on Aug. 30.

"I'm looking forward to it. It's a great matchup," Smith said of Texas. "(We) had a great game last year against them. But like you said, they did a couple of things taking me out of the game. But me, Coach (Brian) Hartline and Coach (Ryan) Day, we just had a conversation about it. Certain things we'll go through this year for them not to do that. So it's definitely going to be a different outcome this year."

Jul 22, 2025; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith speaks to the media during the Big Ten NCAA college football media days at Mandalay Bay Resort. Mandatory Credit: Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images | Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images

Smith also admitted that getting shut down in the Cotton Bowl frustrated him, but nothing a National Championship can't fix when it comes to on-field annoyance.

"It was pretty frustrating for me," Smith said. "But you've just got to be a team player at the end of the day just let the other guys eat. So nothing too big. I mean, I was frustrated at the end of the game, but we went to the National Championship, so I was happy with it."

Smith's entire Big Ten Media Days press conference can be viewed below.

Smith will head into his sophomore season as arguably the best player in college football with hopes of leading Ohio State to back-to-back national titles.

Last season, he finished with 76 catches for 1,315 yards and 15 touchdowns en route to being named the Big Ten Freshman of the Year and Big Ten Wide Receiver of the Year.

Smith was selected as a unanimous Big Ten preseason honoree on Tuesday, the only unanimous pick among the 15 players who made the cut.

Steve Sarkisian and the Longhorns will certainly still have heavy attention on Smith when Texas and Ohio State will kick off from Columbus on Aug. 30 at 11 a.m. CT. on FOX.