Ohio State is sitting pretty with a 21-10 lead over Illinois at halftime in their Big Ten opener, but let’s be real: this first half has been the Jeremiah Smith show, pure and simple. The Buckeyes’ defense has been good, not great, yet the offense is actually fixing some of the issues we’ve been dying to see them nail down. It’s been a busy 30 minutes, especially with Smith absolutely going off in the venerable Horseshoe.
Superman Took Flight, Literally
Seriously, what else can you say about Jeremiah Smith? The dude is built different. In just the first half, he hauled in eight receptions for 150 yards and a ridiculous three touchdowns. He’s making defenders look foolish out there, snatching balls that are contested, wide open, single-covered, double-covered, it doesn’t matter. Remember that 72-yarder? He left guys grasping at air after the catch. This isn’t just a good half, this is a “Superman putting on his cape” kind of performance. If Smith isn’t already the best player in college football, and if he doesn’t get serious Heisman love this year, honestly, we should just boycott the voters. We’re watching someone truly special right now.
Defense Needs a Reality Check, But the Offense Is Dialing It In
Alright, let’s talk about the defense for a second. While “good, not great” is an accurate overall take, the rush defense definitely needs some serious work. They gave up way too many yards on the ground to Illinois, which isn’t even the best rushing team they’ll face by a long shot. The defensive line isn’t getting enough push, the linebackers are getting sealed, and the pursuit angles? Not good enough. It’s a young defense, we get it, and there’s a learning curve. But if that D-line can’t start occupying blockers better to free up the linebackers and defensive backs for run support, it’s gonna be a tough road against those tougher rushing attacks. Work absolutely needs to be done there.
Now for the good news: the short-yardage offense has been a total turnaround. This was arguably their biggest problem coming into the game, especially in the red zone. But so far, so good. The running backs are hitting holes harder, the offensive line is getting some real push, and Julian Sayin is even converting runs himself. In one half of football, they went three-for-three in the red zone and converted 6-of-8 on third downs, a bunch of those being crucial short-yardage situations. There was one hiccup on a 3rd and 2, but they immediately converted on fourth down. That’s a huge step forward.
So, what’s the vibe heading into the second half? Jeremiah Smith is a certified problem for opponents, and the offense seems to have found a groove in those critical short-yardage situations. The big question mark remains that rush defense. Can they clean it up and show some growth against Illinois, or will it continue to be a glaring weakness? We’ll be watching to see if this offensive momentum continues and if the defense tightens up.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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