COLUMBUS — Ohio State led Kent State 35-0 at halftime. The Buckeyes have not faced Kent State in a competitive matchup since 2016. Ohio State holds a 12-0 record against the Golden Flashes in their series history, per College Football Data Warehouse.

Kent State's football program has not finished above.500 since 2018. The Golden Flashes posted a 10-32 record in Mid-American Conference games from 2019-2023, per the university's athletics website.

Why It Matters

Smith's achievement places him at the top of a program with a long history of productive receivers. The record had stood since the early 2000s. Smith's rapid accumulation of yards, including being the fastest to multiple milestones, marks his immediate impact since arriving as a freshman.

The milestone occurred during a dominant performance against a regional opponent that Ohio State had not played in a decade. The victory extended a perfect historical series record for the Buckeyes. Smith's individual accomplishment added to a team effort that resulted in a 35-0 halftime lead, continuing a pattern of high-level production that began with his freshman national championship season.

Timeline

On December 31, 2025, Smith was a consensus All-American in 2025. On September 19, 2026, Jeremiah Smith became Ohio State's all-time leader in career receiving yards during a game against Kent State. Also on September 19, 2026, Smith surpassed Michael Jenkins' previous school record of 2,898 career receiving yards. On that same date, Smith caught a 23-yard pass from quarterback Julian Sayin to break the record. Smith entered the game needing 26 receiving yards to break the record. The record-breaking catch occurred with 8:03 remaining in the first quarter. Smith entered the game averaging 157.5 receiving yards per game through Ohio State's first two contests of the season.

What's New

Additional reporting indicates that Emeka Egbuka holds the Ohio State record for career receptions with 205. It also notes that Chris Olave holds the Ohio State record for career touchdown receptions with 35. Further details show that no Ohio State player reached 100 receptions, 1,000 receiving yards, or 25 receiving touchdowns faster than Smith. According to the Ohio State football media guide, Jeremiah Smith became the fastest Ohio State player to reach 1,000 receiving yards in 19 games and 1,500 receiving yards in 24 games. The Big Ten Conference noted in a 2023 statistical clarification that the retroactive inclusion of Michael Jenkins' 152-yard 2002 Outback Bowl performance in Ohio State's record books altered the historical context of the receiving yards record. Additional sources confirm Smith was a consensus All-American in 2025. Ohio State's official athletics website states that Jeremiah Smith's 2,558 receiving yards through his first two college seasons from 2024 to 2025 are the most by any Big Ten wide receiver in that span. It was reported that Ohio State has not faced Kent State in a competitive matchup since 2016, with the Buckeyes holding a 12-0 record against the Golden Flashes in their series history.

How Sources Differ

Sources present different metrics regarding Smith's receiving yards.

On the detail of Smith becoming Ohio State's all-time leader in career receiving yards during a game against Kent State, multiple sources agree on the event. A separate source adds the detail that no Ohio State player reached 100 receptions, 1,000 receiving yards, or 25 receiving touchdowns faster than Smith. Regarding Smith surpassing Michael Jenkins' previous school record of 2,898 career receiving yards, multiple sources confirm the total. Another source provides the additional detail that Smith entered the game needing 26 receiving yards to break the record. Multiple sources confirm Smith surpassed Michael Jenkins' previous school record of 2,898 career receiving yards. An additional source notes that Smith entered the season with more receiving yards and touchdown receptions than any other college football player over the previous two seasons.