Ohio State's Jeremiah Smith boldly promises victories over Michigan in 2025, 2026
The Ohio State ilk have long accepted their role in the rivalry as one where they have a birthright to beat the Wolverines. After a decade and a half of unparalleled domination, it stands to reason that they would have confidence. But that confidence eventually turned into cockiness, and when Michigan beat the Buckeyes in 2021, the OSU contingent never recalibrated, instead, doubling and tripling down just about every year.
After 2021's loss, the excuses became rampant. Whether it was the flu or the weather, there was always a reason other than Michigan dominating the trenches. In the lead-up to the 2022 edition, it became even more clear that the scarlet and gray considered it their birthright to beat the Wolverines, with wide receivers coach Brian Hartline giving a speech during the pregame 'skull session' about how they've waited and worked in the silence for a solid year, all while Michigan had the unmitigated gall to celebrate its win the previous year. That game ended the same as the one before.
Entering the 2023 game, it was all about Connor Stalions, as his alleged advanced scouting scheme was apparently the cipher for Ohio State's woes against Michigan. Now we would see the ship righted, with OSU getting back to its winning ways in The Game. Yet, without Stalions and without Jim Harbaugh (who was suspended by the Big Ten for Stalions' alleged scheme), Michigan won again. In 2024, a reeling Wolverines team entered Columbus with one of the worst passing attacks in all of college football, a three-score underdog, and yet, ended up beating the eventual national champion.
So, lessons have been learned, right? Humility has permeated the Woody Hayes Athletic Center and now the Buckeyes are recognizing, hey, Michigan has our number, it's back to the drawing board? Nope. Instead, more hubris.
Sophomore OSU wide receiver Jeremiah Smith is already among the best players in all of college football at the moment, and he might even be the best at his young age. But one thing is certain -- he has the same amount of hubris as his predecessors. He spoke to The Athletic, not just saying that the Buckeyes would have better showings against Michigan, but instead promising that they would beat the Wolverines the next two seasons.
'I'm not a sore loser, but I hate losing, and losing to that team up north was pretty crazy,' Smith said. 'In the end, I think it really helped us play the way we did in the playoffs. But I didn't want to go to Ohio State and lose to that team up north. I just hate them. Just something about them. For the next two years, I promise you, I will not lose to them. I can't lose to them in the next two years.'
It's one thing to be confident, it's another to be arrogant. Smith, like we acknowledged, may be the best player in college football. But stellar wide receiver (or quarterback) play has not been what's hampered the Buckeyes in The Game. No, it's been their line play compared to Michigan, and even with the departures of Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant, it doesn't seem like it's at the same level on either side of the ball.
What's more, this upcoming iteration of The Game is in Ann Arbor, and the Wolverines should have a vastly improved offense with new offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey and quarterback Bryce Underwood. If Michigan continues to dominate in the trenches, it doesn't really show any sign of slowing down in this rivalry. Additionally, as we saw last year, Michigan appears to have the mental edge on Ohio State at the moment, with uncharacteristic mistakes coming from the Buckeye contingent in The Game -- not dissimilar from how things were for the Wolverines in their decade-plus stretch of struggling in the rivalry.
Regardless, Smith's words are almost certainly being pumped up throughout Schembechler Hall. We'll see if he ends up being prescient or rueing the day that he decided to make a promise that's up to more than just him.
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