Skull Session: Jeremiah Smith Shines as College Football’s Best Player While Ohio State’s Nonconference Battles Shape the 2025 Title Race

If you’re looking for a player who could redefine what dominance looks like in college football this season, you might want to start and end your search with Jeremiah Smith. The Ohio State wide receiver hasn’t just met expectations since arriving in Columbus—he’s obliterated them. In a sport known for its relentless turnover of stars, Smith already stands as a beacon of consistency and elite play, despite still being in the early stages of his college career. While most freshmen take time to acclimate, Smith stepped in like he had been born to wear scarlet and gray. And through everything—the spotlight, the pressure, the history—he hasn’t just survived. He’s thrived.

The praise surrounding Smith coming out of high school was nothing short of deafening. A five-star recruit, the No. 1 overall player in the 2024 class, and someone who drew comparisons to NFL greats before playing a down of college football, Smith had a lot to live up to. Yet even the most optimistic Buckeye fans couldn’t have predicted how quickly he’d establish himself as the alpha receiver in an already loaded room. Whether it’s route-running precision, body control on deep balls, or an unteachable knack for finding space in tight coverage, Smith has made his presence undeniable. Some players are fast. Some are strong. Some are smart. Smith checks every box.

By midseason of his freshman year, opposing defenses were already rolling coverage his way, and still, it didn’t matter. He put up numbers, yes, but it was the way he did it that turned heads. Smith makes the extraordinary look routine—high-pointing balls over defenders, snagging toe-tap receptions on the sideline, or bursting through tight windows after a slant. With each game, the debate about the best player in college football becomes less about opinion and more about a statement of fact. Jeremiah Smith isn’t just good for a freshman. He’s the best in the country.

Now, as the 2025 season looms large, Smith is no longer a surprise. He’s the standard. And Ohio State, with its usual embarrassment of riches, knows exactly what it has in him—a player who can single-handedly shift the balance of a game. The Buckeyes are expected to contend for the College Football Playoff once again, and while their defense has made strides under Jim Knowles, and their quarterback room is in good hands, it’s Smith who could very well be the face of this championship run. You can draw up all the schemes and game plans you want, but when No. 4 is on the field, sometimes that just isn’t enough.

But while Smith might be the star attraction, Ohio State’s journey to a potential title doesn’t exist in a vacuum. Every championship campaign is shaped in the margins, and that begins with the nonconference schedule. For years, Ohio State has prided itself on challenging itself early in the season with tough nonconference games, and 2025 is no different. With powerhouse programs lining up as test cases, these matchups do more than fill prime-time TV slots—they serve as early litmus tests for how playoff-ready this team really is.

The Buckeyes open the season against Texas in a colossal showdown that feels more like a late-December clash than a season debut. The Longhorns are fresh off a College Football Playoff appearance of their own and are brimming with returning talent. This game will be a spotlight moment not just for Smith, but for the entire Ohio State roster. Can the offensive line hold up against a fierce Texas front? Will the new quarterback—be it Devin Brown, Lincoln Kienholz, or a newcomer—be ready for the national stage? And more importantly, can the defense contain an explosive Texas attack led by Quinn Ewers? The answers will help set the tone for the Buckeyes’ season.

From there, Ohio State travels to Oxford to face an upstart Ole Miss team that’s been making waves in the SEC. Lane Kiffin’s squad may not have the tradition of Alabama or Georgia, but it has the firepower and swagger to challenge anyone. These kinds of games are where Smith can really put his stamp on the Heisman conversation. There’s no better way to prove you’re the best player in the country than by lighting up a top-tier SEC defense in their own backyard.

Finally, the Buckeyes round out their nonconference slate with a matchup against Marshall, a game that, on paper, looks like a breather but could serve as an important development opportunity. If the team is still figuring out its identity on offense or fine-tuning its rotations on defense, this is the chance to get it right. Even here, Smith’s influence looms large. He elevates every quarterback he plays with, every offensive drive he’s part of, and every cornerback who tries—and fails—to stop him.

Through all these games, the common denominator will be Smith. His presence doesn’t just give Ohio State a chance to win—it gives them a chance to dominate. There’s a confidence that radiates from elite players, a sense that no matter the situation, they’ll find a way to rise above it. That’s what Smith brings to the table. And perhaps more importantly, his work ethic and leadership have already begun to infect the rest of the locker room. He’s not just a gifted athlete. He’s a cultural force.

The nonconference schedule, as tough as it is, also offers a unique advantage. It means that if Ohio State can come through unscathed or even with one competitive loss, it will have the kind of resume that the College Football Playoff selection committee simply can’t ignore. Style points matter. Strength of schedule matters. And statement wins—especially early ones—matter. A standout showing by Smith in those games won’t just pad his stat line; it will cement his legacy.

It’s worth remembering, too, that wide receivers rarely win the Heisman Trophy. DeVonta Smith broke the mold in 2020, but before him, the last time a receiver won was Desmond Howard in 1991. For Jeremiah Smith to not only enter that conversation but potentially run away with it would be historic. But this isn’t about chasing individual accolades. Not for Smith, and not for Ohio State. It’s about chasing greatness in all its forms.

In today’s NIL-driven, transfer-heavy era of college football, it’s not easy to keep a team focused and unified. But if there’s one thing that Ohio State has consistently done, it’s develop and empower transcendent wide receivers. From Chris Olave to Garrett Wilson to Jaxon Smith-Njigba to Marvin Harrison Jr., the Buckeyes are WRU in every sense. Jeremiah Smith might just be the greatest of them all.

That’s saying something.

As the 2025 season unfolds, Ohio State’s fortunes will be dictated by more than just one player. But make no mistake—Jeremiah Smith is the heartbeat of this team. He is the player defensive coordinators dread, the highlight-reel machine fans love, and the X-factor that turns big games into unforgettable wins. When we look back on this season months from now, we may very well point to the early nonconference gauntlet as the moment it all came together.

And if that moment features Smith leaping over a helpless defensive back, securing a touchdown, and trotting calmly back to the sideline as the crowd erupts?

That’ll be just another Saturday in Columbus.

Because for Ohio State in 2025, the best player in college football isn’t a quarterback. He’s not a running back. He’s not even a veteran.

He’s a wide receiver named Jeremiah Smith, and he’s just getting started.