College football’s catch of the year now belongs to Ohio State WR Jeremiah Smith

Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Jeremiah Smith (4) celebrates a touchdown vs. Penn State | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Jeremiah Smith left the 2024 college football season behind as one of its best wideouts, making several highlight-reel plays to lead Ohio State to the national championship. Coming into 2025, he was one of the Heisman Trophy favorites. While he's not quite the favorite any longer, Smith has still delivered the goods on a weekly basis for No. 1 OSU.

So far, Smith's compiled 100-yard receiving games against two different opponents, plus a 97-yard outing in Week 9 against Wisconsin, to go along with a pair of multi-touchdown games as well. Now, you can Saturday's Penn State game to the list of Smith's A+ performances in a Buckeye uniform.

Carnell Tate barely out-gained his teammate through the air with 124 receiving yards and a touchdown vs. Penn State, but Smith recorded 123 yards on six receptions with two of those coming as touchdowns. One of those touchdowns, by the way, is easily one of the best catches you will see this season. In fact, it's probably the craziest one so far this year.

On a fourth-quarter first down play in the red zone with OSU leading 31-14, Buckeye quarterback Julian Sayin lofted a pass toward Smith, but it was tipped in the air by a Penn State defender. As the ball wobbled into a pack of two Nittany Lions and one Buckeye, Smith, No. 4 in red was able to make a one-handed grab and then bound into the end zone for Ohio State's final score of the day.

Take a look at this wizardry:

JEREMIAH SMITH ARE YOU SERIOUS?! 😱

He snags an unreal TD catch for @OhioStateFB pic.twitter.com/yBTdM0xfTW

— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) November 1, 2025

As you would expect, FOX play-by-play commentator Gus Johnson lost his marbes to let the nation know just how spectacular that play was. Not only was the ball tipped and Smith had to recalculate mid-route, but he also snatched the ball away from danger with just one hand. All of that is impressive enough, but Smith also remained balanced enough to shed a tackler at the one-yard line and walk into the end zone.

"It was one heck of a catch," Ryan Day said about the tremendous grab by his true sophomore stud on the outside. "Not exactly how we drew it up," he added with a chuckle.

Hey, you know your college football team is in great shape when even the disaster plays turn into touchdowns that could be considered the most impressive catch of the year. Ohio State is rolling right now. And their quarterback, Julian Sayin, is now the Heisman Trophy favorite as well.