Freshman Tracker: Jeremiah Smith and James Peoples Score Touchdowns for Second Straight Game While Julian Sayin Throws Touchdown Pass in Debut

Sixteen Ohio State freshmen saw the field in the Buckeyes’ 56-0 blanking of Western Michigan with 10 of them recording statistics and three of them – Jeremiah Smith, James Peoples and Julian Sayin – accounting for touchdowns.

Smith made history by becoming the first Ohio State freshman to eclipse 200 receiving yards in the first two games of a season. He also joins David Boston as the only freshman to catch a touchdown pass in each of the season’s first two games, having already scored three touchdowns in just two weeks.

Late in the first quarter, Will Howard turned to Smith when the Buckeyes faced a 1st-and-20 from Ohio State's own 30. The phenomenal freshman took a simple hitch route and turned it into a 70-yard score, outrunning five Western Michigan defenders along the way.

JEREMIAH SMITH HIT THE JETS FOR THE TD @ohiostatefb pic.twitter.com/TQ73HEfor6

— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) September 8, 2024

That was the longest touchdown by a freshman receiver in program history, tying running backs Carlos Snow and TreVeyon Henderson for the longest receiving touchdown by any freshman. Snow caught a 70-yard touchdown pass against Michigan in 1987 and Henderson did the same against Minnesota in 2021.

Is Smith special? Yes, Smith is special. 

Peoples Pleaser

Smith wasn't the only pup to find the painted turf in back-to-back games to start the season. Peoples, who had a 4-yard touchdown in the season opener against Akron, crossed the goal line on a shifty 12-yard jaunt with five seconds remaining in the third quarter against Western Michigan. The score gave Ohio State an insurmountable 49-0 lead.

Peoples and Maurice Clarett are Ohio State’s only true freshmen to record rushing touchdowns in the first two games of a season. In 2002, Clarett flashed his game-changing ability with three touchdowns against Texas Tech and followed it up with a score against Kent State in his first two games as a Buckeye.

James Peoples into the end zone to finish the 3rd quarter.

Buckeyes up 49-0

pic.twitter.com/XGHP5papu3

— Ohio State Football Fan Page (@OhioStFootball) September 8, 2024

Another first: Peoples and Smith are the first pairing of a freshman running back and receiver to score touchdowns in both of the first two games of a season. The duo gets an extra week to prepare to make it three straight when the Buckeyes face Marshall on Sept. 21. 

Sayin Slingin' and Slayin'

The Alabama transfer was the third quarterback Ryan Day turned to against Western Michigan, following Will Howard and Devin Brown. Julian Sayin entered the game with 7:06 remaining and guided the offense with confidence during his first drive of his Buckeye  career.

Following a 5-yard run by the young signal-caller, Ohio State faced 4th-and-1 from its own 45-yard line. Day could have opted for a safe and predictable run, but trusted his freshman to deliver the game's final score as he connected with Bennett Christian for a 55-yard touchdown.

Julian Sayins first career touchdown pass is a 55-yard strike to Bennett Christian pic.twitter.com/z0MIGWcLhW

— Eleven Warriors (@11W) September 8, 2024

With this touchdown pass, Smith, Peoples and Sayin became the first trio of Ohio State freshmen to all be responsible for touchdowns in the same game. 

Props to Chip Kelly and Day for dialing up a non-traditional fourth-down play with the freshman quarterback. Watch the clip above. Look at the flow of the play to the Western Michigan sideline and then notice how Christian became wide open for Sayin's first collegiate touchdown pass. Beautiful.

Stat Book Stuffers

Sam Williams-Dixon gained 40 yards on three carries and has seen action in both of Ohio State’s first two games. Mylan Graham, Max LeBlanc and Ian Moore also saw playing time on offense in the fourth quarter.

On the defensive side of the ball, Jaylen McClain stuffed WMU's Jamal Hailey for a 1-yard loss. The safety was also deployed on the kickoff team. Aaron Scott Jr. broke up a pass, and Eddrick Houston stopped Western Michigan quarterback Broc Lowry after a 2-yard run. 

Australian punter Nick McLarty booted a punt to the Broncos' 20-yard line to end Ohio State's first series of the 4th quarter. Payton Pierce, Garrett Stover, Bryce West and Dorian Williams were on special team units late in the game. Pierce, Stover and West helped on the kickoff team while Lockhart and Williams took the field with the punt return team. 

Under the NCAA's redshirt rules, a player can appear in up to four games during the regular season – plus play in any postseason games – and still count it as his redshirt year.

Two games into the season, 17 Ohio State freshmen have already played in at least one game.

(Note: The table does not include freshman walk-ons who have not yet played.)

• #2 Ohio State 56, Western Michigan 0
• Sept. 7, 2024 • Ohio Stadium • Columbus, OH
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• • Ohio State Postgame • Photos • After Carmen
• • Five Things • Three Key Stats • Western Michigan Postgame