Jeremiah Smith claims he is best player in country after records

Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Jeremiah Smith struck the Heisman pose and declared himself the best player in the country following a record-setting performance on Saturday. Yahoo Sports and the New York Post reported that Smith made the statements during his postgame press conference after scoring a touchdown against Iowa. [1][6][8]

According to myMotherLode.com, fifth-ranked Ohio State defeated 14th-ranked Iowa by a score of 31 to 14. CBS Sports and ESPN reported that Smith set Ohio State career records for receptions and receiving touchdowns during the game. CBS Sports added that Smith needed only 34 career games to pass Chris Olave for receiving touchdowns and Emeka Egbuka for career receptions. [3][4][8]

Smith previously won a national championship with the Buckeyes as a freshman in 2024, when he broke the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision freshman receiving record. He was selected as a unanimous All-American in 2025. [9]

As FTMQ News reported earlier, Smith caught two touchdown passes against Iowa and became the all-time leader for Ohio State in receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns. Following his performance on Saturday, NBA star LeBron James reacted publicly to Smith's highlight plays, as reported by ESPN. [4][11]