Let’s roll back. This entire Buckeyes vs Wolverines rivalry has been going on for a really long time. The last time OSU won against Michigan was back in 2019. After that? It has been loss after loss. But let’s pause for a moment and focus on the 2021-2023 era. This is where the Buckeyes were on a roll. With 3 back-to-back seasons with 11 wins, one guy in the WR role managed to change the history of OSU. Enter Marvin Harrison Jr. Dude was the breakout star for the Buckeyes offense and he was the only guy who made it possible for OSU to get remotely close to winning against Michigan back in 2023 with a 30-24 run.
And now, as Ryan Day and Co. get ready to face off against a new era of Michigan football, a true freshman from the roster would finally be able to make OSU’s dream of winning against the Wolverines come true. Back on The Joel Klatt Show, Joel Klatt pointed out, “He has a very unique Drive. It reminds me a lot of Marvin Harrison……. Jeremiah Smith is at Ohio State for a purpose.” See, Day and Co. are on the 2nd spot on the CFP list, and there is pretty much nothing stopping them from going to the playoffs with the 2nd seed. Now you might say that it was Chip Kelly‘s play calling or Will Howard‘s overall performance that made this possible, but we will tell you that it was 18-year-old Jeremiah Smith.
via Imago
November 2, 2024, University Park, Pennsylvania, U.S: Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Jeremiah Smith 4 cuts back on a run after catching a pass during the game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and Penn State Nittany Lions at Beaver Stadium, University Park, Pennsylvania. University Park U.S – ZUMAs304 20241102_zaf_s304_002 Copyright: xScottxStuartx
For the Buckeyes, this guy is a mismatch, and not in the wrong way. Smith has already managed to snag 9 touchdowns and had an explosive performance against Oregon, Nebraska, and Northwestern. And if you thought all of this was enough, this guy even managed to break an age-old Buckeyes record.
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“Most receiving touchdowns by a freshman” was a title achieved by Cris Carter first. Now, it is Smith who has broken that record and set a new bar for Ohio State football. Not only has this dude gone up against the best and stood neck to neck, but he has also managed to switch up the entire Buckeyes offense.
And as Day and Kelly prep up to face against their long-standing rivals and end the three-game losing streak, Smith will be in the center of it all reminding every single OSU fan that a second Harrison Jr. era at Ohio State has begun. The question now is, does Michigan have a shot at winning this?
Sherrone Moore to keep the legacy alive
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If this was the Jim Harbaugh and JJ McCarthy era, then we would’ve never questioned Michigan’s ability to win against OSU but now that it is not and the Wolverines are a 5-loss team, it kind of begs the question if they even have enough talent to come close to scoring any points.
See, with Sherrone Moore on the lead, the Wolverines haven’t had the best time out there. Their QB room is a mess and their only good performance of the year was against a Northwestern team who are 4-7 this season.
If that wasn’t bad enough, Kirk Campbell, as the OC, has been nothing but disappointing for the squad. With the subpar play calling and not utilizing the talent on the roster, it makes you wonder why Campbell is still heading the offense.
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If we are being real here, Day is going to have a field day with this one, as Michigan has pretty much nothing to stop them. If we are being a bit delusional, then the Wolverines do have a chance of leaving a stain on the near-perfect OSU resume.