Jeremiah Smith responds to Rose Bowl jab from Tez Johnson

Although Oregon has played just one season of Big Ten football, the Oregon vs. Ohio State rivalry has already blossomed into one of the best in the conference. The Ducks edged out the Buckeyes 32-31 in a regular season thriller on Oct. 12 last season, but Ohio State got its revenge in the College Football Playoff with a dominant 41-21 win in the Rose Bowl (CFP Quarterfinal).

Former Oregon wide receiver Tez Johnson, who was selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the seventh round of the 2025 NFL Draft, made headlines earlier this week when he went into detail about his hatred for the Ohio State program. This included jabs at the Buckeyes along with superstar wide receiver Jeremiah Smith.

“Ohio State [is] gonna get beat in the championship this year,” Johnson said during a training camp media opportunity. “I got a lot of receipts that I’m keeping right now, because yeah, I hold grudges. I’m sorry. I hold grudges.”

“I mean, obviously I wanted to win the Rose Bowl, but we came up short. So we’re gonna go back to the Rose Bowl this year, and if it’s Ohio State, we’re gonna come at Jeremiah Smith.”

Smith revealed that he laughed at Johnson’s comments

Smith emerged as one of the best wide receivers in the country as a freshman last season, as he hauled in 1,315 yards and 15 touchdowns. He averaged 143.5 yards and scored three total touchdowns in his two games against Oregon in 2024.

“I just laughed at it,” Smith said on Friday. “I didn’t really say anything on social media but I’ve had people to send it to me and at me on social media and Instagram and stuff. So I really just laughed at it. There’s nothing too personal.”

As good as the Miami Gardens, FL native was last season, he revealed that he hesitated a bit in 2024 and wants to play at full speed this season.

“Jeremiah Smith said there were games last season in which he ‘hesitated’ and didn’t always play as fast as he’s capable of playing,” Chase Brown of Eleven Warriors posted on X. “Entering 2025, he has complete confidence in himself and wants to show what he can do at full speed. ‘It’s gonna be scary this year,’ he said.”

If Smith is even better than he was in 2024, a potential Heisman Award win for the star wide receiver may not be out of the question. The Buckeyes open their 2025 season at home against Texas on Aug. 30 at noon. Unfortunately, a rematch against Oregon would have to come either in the Big Ten Championship or in a College Football Playoff matchup.