Indiana Hoosiers head coach Curt Cignetti has lauded Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Jeremiah Smith, describing him as having no equal currently playing at his level. Cignetti's comments come as No. 5 Indiana prepares to host No. 4 Ohio State on Saturday.
"He's taken it up a notch, without question. I think he has nine touchdown catches in the last three Power Four conference games. There's no one like him right now playing at this level," Cignetti stated at a press conference. "He's a freak, and we're going to have to do a great job on him."
The matchup is set to be a significant Big Ten showdown, with FOX's "Big Noon Kickoff" broadcasting live from Bloomington. Indiana enters the game with a 6-0 record, though they narrowly escaped a scare in Week 6 against Nebraska, winning 20-17 after trailing by 11 points in the fourth quarter.
Smith, who has already made a considerable impact in his freshman and sophomore seasons, has elevated his performance for Ohio State this season. He has become the Buckeyes' all-time leader in receptions with 211, receiving yards with 3,474, and receiving touchdowns with 38.
In the games leading up to Ohio State's Week 6 victory over Maryland, Smith accumulated 23 receptions for 423 yards and six touchdowns in wins against Iowa and Illinois. This season, he has recorded 48 receptions for 916 yards, averaging 19.1 yards per reception, and 11 touchdowns, all of which lead the Big Ten and rank second nationally.
Both teams boast potent offenses and solid defenses. Ohio State's offense leads the Big Ten in total yards (503.5 per game) and points (42.7 per game). Conversely, Indiana's defense has allowed the fewest points in the conference (11.8 per game) and ranks third in opponent total yards (263.5 per game). On the other side, Indiana's offense is second in the Big Ten in total yards (462.7 per game) and third in points (40.2 per game), facing an Ohio State defense that is second in the conference in opponent total yards (246.8 per game) and opponent points (13.2 per game).