Iowa Hawkeyes head coach Kirk Ferentz has drawn comparisons between Ohio State's star wide receiver Jeremiah Smith and NFL legends Saquon Barkley and Randy Moss. Ferentz, whose team is set to face the No. 5-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes, highlighted Smith's physical impact on games and his ability to make plays even when well-defended.
"The first guy that comes to mind would be [Penn State running back] Saquon Barkley. Just different guys. They're at a little different level [than other players]," Ferentz stated when asked for a comparison for Smith. He recalled Barkley's impressive performance against Iowa in 2017, noting the running back's toughness after taking a hit and returning to the game. Barkley's career against Iowa included 167 rushing yards and a receiving touchdown in 2016, followed by a career-high 211 rushing yards and 94 receiving yards in 2017. Barkley went on to win multiple Big Ten honors, was a Heisman Trophy finalist, and became the No. 2 pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, later earning Offensive Rookie of the Year and Offensive Player of the Year awards.
Ferentz also likened Smith's ability to make contested plays to that of Hall of Famer Randy Moss. "I remember, two years ago, getting ready to play [Smith and the Buckeyes] and watching a couple plays he made the week before where he's perfectly defended, and he still makes the play," Ferentz said. He drew a parallel to watching Moss at a New England Patriots training camp in the late 2000s, where Moss made a similar red-zone play against tight coverage, prompting a shrug from a secondary coach.
Smith, a 6-foot-4 junior receiver, has become Ohio State's all-time leader in receiving yards and is nearing records for receptions and receiving touchdowns. In a recent game against Illinois on September 26, Smith recorded career highs with 12 receptions for 217 yards and four touchdowns. On the season, he has 33 receptions for 617 yards and seven touchdowns, leading the Big Ten in receiving yards for 2024 and 2025. He is also on pace to surpass Chris Olave for the all-time receiving touchdown record and Emeka Egbuka for career receptions at Ohio State.
Despite his impressive statistics, Smith was held to four receptions for 89 yards and a touchdown in the Buckeyes' previous game against Iowa, a 35-7 victory. Iowa enters the upcoming matchup with a 4-0 record, having recently defeated Michigan. Ohio State, with an overall record of 5-1, has secured wins against Ball State, Kent State, and Illinois, with their only loss coming against Texas. Historically, Ohio State holds a 17-3 advantage in the all-time series against Iowa, though the Hawkeyes won their most recent encounter in Iowa City in 2017.