Jeremiah Smith ties Ohio State record with 4 TD catches as No. 7 Buckeyes beat Illinois 42-19

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COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Another home game, another record for Ohio State's Jeremiah Smith.

After becoming OSU's career leader in receiving yardage last week against Kent State, the superstar junior had a monster game on Saturday as the seventh-ranked Buckeyes defeated Illinois 42-19.

Smith tied the school's single-game mark with four touchdown catches along with 12 receptions for 217 yards, both career highs.

It is the first time an Ohio State player has had double-digit catches for at least 200 yards and four scores in a game.

“I mean, if there’s a better player in the country, it’s hard to imagine. Or even just watching him play every game this year. I think he’s taking his game to the next level this year,” coach Ryan Day said after Smith tied for the sixth-most receiving yards in an OSU game and tied for sixth-most receptions.

It is the fifth time an Ohio State receiver has had four touchdowns. The last time it happened before Saturday was Noah Brown at Oklahoma in 2016.

It appeared as if Smith would have four touchdowns in the first half. Julian Sayin was looking for him in the end zone, but Smith was well covered. Sayin tucked it, rolled around left end and dove near the pylon for a 7-yard TD with 15 seconds remaining to give the Buckeyes a 28-10 advantage at halftime.

Smith tied the mark with 10:07 remaining in the fourth quarter when he was wide open on a 26-yard touchdown to extend the Buckeyes' lead to 35-13.

“I’m pretty good with four,” Smith said when asked if he was trying to get a fifth TD.

Smith — who had eight catches for 150 yards and three TDs in the first half — also became the third receiver since 2015 from a Power Four conference to have at least three games with at least 150 receiving yards and two touchdowns in one half. DeVonta Smith had four at Alabama and Ja’Marr Chase did it three times at LSU.

Smith had TDs of 7 and 72 yards — the second-longest of his career — in the first quarter. He then had a 9-yard score in the second quarter as he just got his left foot inbounds.

Sayin completed 27 of 36 passes for 367 yards and had a rushing TD as the Buckeyes (3-1, 1-0) opened Big Ten play with a victory for the 15th straight season. Ja'Kobi Jackson ran it in from 2 yards out with 2:36 remaining.

“I think we found a rhythm in the drives today, but I think there’s still stuff to clean up,” Sayin said. “And so just how can we keep getting better? How can we improve and play better next week?”

Illinois (2-2, 0-1) kept it competitive despite Smith's monster game. Katin Houser was 21 of 37 passing for 263 yards and a touchdown and Jordan Anderson had a 22-yard rushing score in the first quarter.

“At times we showed up in all three phases, but just not enough to get where we need to be," Illinois coach Bret Bielema said. "Number four (Smith) is obviously a very talented player for them. But in critical moments we had to do a better job of having awareness where he is. We made some bad decisions with leveraging the quarterback, too many mis-contained opportunities that just allowed to extend plays.”

Sayin finished with seven rushes for 29 yards, including his second TD running this year. The score not only fired up Day, but the offensive line.

“That’s probably the most excited I’ve ever been for a touchdown. At least this season, for sure,” offensive guard Luke Montgomery said. "For a dude to put his body on the line like he does, his pocket presence in general, he’s not gonna be scared to take a hit. And for him to run like that and put his body on the line, just utmost respect for a quarterback to do that, because he didn’t have to do that.”

Illinois: Wide receiver Collin Dixon, who came into the game leading the nation with eight receiving touchdowns, was held to five catches for 63 yards.

Ohio State: Defense will be concern after the Illini rushed for 199 yards and averaged 6.0 yards per carry.

Illinois: Hosts Purdue next Saturday.

Ohio State: At No. 17 Iowa next Saturday.

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