Indiana football's three-point victory over Nebraska on Saturday was its closest game since Dec. 6, 2025. Against the Cornhuskers, the Cream and Crimson trailed for the first time since Dec. 6, 2025.
On that day — Dec. 6, 2025 — Indiana defeated Ohio State to claim the Big Ten Championship. After over 300 days, much has changed for the Hoosiers and the Buckeyes. One thing hasn't: Ohio State junior wide receiver Jeremiah Smith.
"There is no one like him right now playing at this level," Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti said at a press conference Monday. "He’s a freak."
Smith leads the Big Ten in receptions, receiving yards, receiving touchdowns and yards per catch. He has nearly 300 more receiving yards than the next closest wideout — Rutgers' junior KJ Duff.
The 6-foot-4 Miami Gardens, Florida, native has been targeted 67 times over six games. The Buckeyes have attempted 181 passes this season, meaning Smith is targeted 37% of the time the ball is thrown.
“If it’s one-on-one, he's open," Ohio State head coach Ryan Day said of Smith on Oct. 6. "If he's double-covered, he’s sort of open. If he’s triple-covered, he’s covered, so that means somebody's got to be open somewhere else. I say that half-kidding.”
Smith is not only a contested catch specialist, he's also explosive with the ball in his hands. When he's not draped by multiple defenders, he has a knack for making tacklers miss.
The Hoosiers' defense missed 11 tackles against Nebraska, per Pro Football Focus. Cignetti explained assignment issues, but redshirt senior linebacker Isaiah Jones detailed the process leading into the marquee matchup with the Buckeyes.
"A missed tackle is not just the last millisecond before contact," Jones said during player media availability Tuesday. "The tackle starts when the play starts. Because if you're out of position, you're not gonna make a tackle."
Jones emphasized Indiana's commitment to "vice tackles," which involve two points of contact on a ball carrier. With inside and outside defenders converging, the hit is amplified.
"They should feel that," Jones said. "You might get five yards on a QB scramble, but it should be a violent tackle. And we'll make that trade because if they want to keep letting their quarterback get hit over and over and over, or their best receiver over and over and over... they're probably gonna stop at some point."
Being in the right place to make a play takes preparedness and discipline, traits Cignetti's Hoosiers are known for.
Indiana's 20 penalties is tied with Rutgers for the fewest in the conference, and the Scarlet Knights have only played five games. Against Nebraska, the Hoosiers were penalized just three times for 35 yards.
"We usually get our grade sheets and he's (Cignetti) gonna be like, 'Hey, fix this, this is gonna be called on Saturday,'" redshirt senior offensive lineman Carter Smith said during player media availability Tuesday. "It's all in the little things."
With regard to Jeremiah Smith, being disciplined means bracketing his side of the field and preventing one-on-one matchups. A season ago, Smith hauled in 144 yards through the air against an Indiana secondary that included D'Angelo Ponds, Louis Moore and Devan Boykin.
Smith surpassed 200 receiving yards in two of Ohio State's three Big Ten contests thus far, including a monster game of 12 catches with 217 yards and four touchdowns against Illinois on Sept. 26. All three were career highs.
Still, Indiana remains steadfast in its approach.
"We're not gonna let you beat us with the guy that's been torching the rest of the country," Jones said. "But it really starts up front. You have to stop the run."
Ohio State features sophomore running back Bo Jackson and redshirt senior running back Ja'Kobi Jackson in the conference's seventh-best rushing attack. However, the Buckeyes are third in the Big Ten with 13 scores on the ground.
If Indiana can contain Ohio State's backfield, it allows more players to drop back in coverage and prioritize Smith. Last year, Indiana held the Buckeyes to just 58 rushing yards in the 13-10 victory.
However, repeating Dec. 6 isn't necessarily the goal. For the 2026 Hoosiers, it's all about pushing forward.
"Last year's last year," Smith said. "And we're full throttle onto this week."
Follow reporters Conor Banks (@Conorbanks06 and conbanks@iu.edu) and Nathan Shriberg (@NShriberg and naashri@iu.edu) and columnist Elakai Anela (@elakai_anela and eanela@iu.edu) for updates throughout the Indiana football season
