Ohio State’s Chip Kelly reveals Jeremiah Smith’s interaction before title game heroics

As it is The Ohio State football team defeated Notre Dame to win the national championship in College Football Playoff (CFP), 34-23, the play that sealed the deal was Will Howard’s deep throw to true freshman Jeremy Smith late in the fourth quarter. With Ohio State’s football team is looking to repeat as championsthere’s no doubt Smith will be a big part of that as offensive coordinator Chip Kelly talked about the receiver game.

The interaction between Kelly and Smith was as simple as the former revealed after the game to CBS Sports where it was obvious asked the freshman Fr his nervousness about the big lights on the big play call. Accordingly, let’s say Smith is as confident as a 19-year-old college football player can be.

“I asked him if he was scared,” Kelly told CBS Sports. “He said, ‘No.'”

“It’s just a gut call if it doesn’t work out,” Kelly said. “I was trying to get the first one down and out of there.”

The The Ohio State football wide receiver had a touchdown earlier in the first half, but didn’t have a look in the second until a huge 56-yard play near the end of the game on 3rd-and-11 where they sealed the deal. It seemed like the team knew it would work as the Fighting Irish expected to run out the clock, but after going to Cover 0 it was time to try it out as even Buckeyes receiver Brandon Inniss saw it to come.

“We watched it on film and we knew the ball was going to be there because (the defensive back) was so far inside,” Innis said. “We chose Jeremy and Will to do the show, and that’s what happened.

Ohio State football player Jeremiah Smith on the big play

Even Ohio State head football coach Ryan Day would speak about making a bold play, but the national title game was the perfect time to make a run with Notre Dame coming back into the game.

“I just thought to myself: Only one national championship, you only get one chance a year to do it, let’s put it on the line and put it out there and be aggressive,” Day said. “I talked to the defensive guys and I talked to the offensive guys that we’re going to continue to be aggressive throughout the game, I told the team that led to the game.” And I had to make sure I fulfilled that.”

In his first season, Smith had 76 catches for 1,315 yards and 15 touchdowns, averaging 17.3 yards per reception. Smith finished the game with five catches for 88 yards and a touchdown in the CFP final and talked about how he reacted to winning the title in his first season and what was his thought process before the big show according to The New York Post.

“It’s a blessing,” Smith said. “We’ve had too many blessings this year.”

“Just get him,” Smith continued. “Man to man, I don’t lose.”

Ohio State’s football team looks set to square off in 2026.