What Jeremiah Smith said about CFP quarterfinal against hometown Miami
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Jeremiah Smith was not yet born when Ohio State pulled off its epic double-overtime of Miami to win the 2002 national championship.
But the superstar receiver heard about it often while growing up in Miami Gardens.
“You see it all over the Internet, all over Twitter, they still talk about that 20 years later,” Smith said. “They still worry about it.”
While the upset was a major triumph for the Buckeyes, giving them their first consensus title since 1968, it signaled the end of the Hurricanes’ dynasty of the early 2000s.
Miami had won 34 consecutive games, a streak that occurred over three seasons and included a 12-0 national championship season in 2001, before it was undone by the Buckeyes.
In the aftermath of the defeat, the Hurricanes never returned to their previous heights. Coach Larry Coker was fired after a .500 season in 2006, and Mario Cristobal, a former offensive lineman for the Hurricanes who took over in 2022, is the fifth coach since the downfall to attempt to resurrect the program.
Cristobal has given them their biggest lift over the past two decades. This season marked the first College Football Playoff berth for the Hurricanes, who almost made the 12-team field last year.
After their upset of seventh-seeded Texas A&M set up the rematch with Ohio State in the quarterfinals on Dec. 31, Smith only expressed a desire to add to the Hurricanes’ postseason misery.
“We’ve got something for them coming on New Year’s Eve,” Smith said.
Smith is well acquainted with many of the Hurricanes. He attended Chaminade-Madonna High School in Hollywood, Florida, with three of them — wide receiver Joshisa Trader, defensive back Chris Ewald Jr. and defensive lineman Donta Simpson. Smith and Trader have long been close friends, envisioning a matchup like this since they were 11 years old.
“For us to be on the stage right now, going against each in the Cotton Bowl, it’s something we dreamed of,” Smith said. “I can’t wait to see him after the game and take pictures with him and say hi to his family.”
Miami made a push to keep Smith home before he ended up signing with Ohio State two years ago and emerging as an instant star as a freshman.
“I’m very excited to play the guys from back home,” Smith said. “It’s like a second home to me. I’m from there. I have good relationship with the coaches and a lot of the players.”
When the matchup was finalized last weekend, Smith posted a purple devil emoji on X, seemingly reveling in the opportunity to play against his hometown school for the first time.
Smith said he expects a bit of chippiness between the players.
“I’m probably going to be doing it, too,” he said. “I’m going to be a little chippy out there.”
But he also acknowledged a need to keep his emotions in check.
“He’ll be wired this week, that’s for sure,” Buckeyes coach Ryan Day said. “He’s going to be fired up.”
Joey Kaufman covers Ohio State football for The Columbus Dispatch. Email him at jkaufman@dispatch.com and follow along on Bluesky, Instagram and X for more.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio State WR Jeremiah Smith discusses CFP matchup vs. hometown Miami
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