Three Stars of the Game: Jeremiah Smith, Lathan Ransom and JT Tuimoloau Earn Top Honors For Their Performances Against Akron

By 11W Staff on September 1, 2024 at 12:55 pm
Jeremiah Smith, Lathan Ransom and JT Tuimoloau
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Goodbye, Players of the Game. Hello, Stars of the Game.

After each Ohio State win this season, Eleven Warriors will name three Buckeyes as the team's Three Stars of the Game. Our selection process will be similar to the hockey tradition of naming Three Stars after each game to honor the game’s top performers. The "first star" is the game’s MVP while the "second star" and "third star" recognize the next-best performers from the scarlet and gray.

This week, wide receiver Jeremiah Smith earns top honors as Ohio State's first star while safety Lathan Ransom and defensive end JT Tuimoloau receive the second and third stars.

First Star: Jeremiah Smith

Remember when Ohio State head coach Ryan Day pretended to faint when the Buckeyes signed Smith last December? Given Smith's status as the No. 1 overall prospect in the 2024 class, Day's hilarious gesture made sense at the time, but even more so now, as the 6-foot-3, 215-pound wide receiver showed off his immense talent in his college debut.

Smith scored Ohio State's first two touchdowns on Saturday, securing 16-yard and 9-yard strikes from quarterback Will Howard. He ended the 2024 season opener with six catches for 92 yards and two scores. All three totals led the Buckeyes' receiver room.

“He's built different," Day said after the game. “Just the way his approach is, you can see his size and speed and all that, but typically somebody with that type of talent doesn't have the discipline and focus that he does.”

Second Star: Lathan Ransom

Ransom was one of Ohio State's best defenders last season before suffering a torn ligament in his foot in the Wisconsin game. The tear, which forced him to miss the Buckeyes' final three regular-season contests and the Cotton Bowl, was Ransom's second significant injury in college after the veteran defensive back broke his leg in the Rose Bowl three years ago.

Because he has missed time in his Ohio State career, Ransom shared this preseason how he felt underrated and forgotten entering the 2024 season.

"I feel like my whole life I've had a chip on my shoulder and been underrated," Ransom said on Aug. 20. "I can't wait to put the pads on and get to the season. I feel underrated. I feel like I've been forgotten. I can't wait to remind everyone."

And remind everyone he did.

Ransom was Ohio State's leading tackler on Saturday, collecting nine total tackles and five solo. He also led the Buckeyes with two tackles for loss and returned a fumble 27 yards for a touchdown, the first of his Ohio State career.

Third Star: JT Tuimoloau

Tuimoloau was a man on a mission in the season opener.

The two-time first-team All-Big Ten selection led Ohio State with 1.5 sacks, including a solo takedown in the first half and a combined takedown with safety Caleb Downs in the second half, and he repeatedly won his matchups with Akron’s offensive tackles. Tuimoloau's inspired performance came after a preseason in which he expressed his desire to be a more consistent contributor to the Buckeyes' defense in 2024.

"My goal for me is, as much as it would be great to have a Penn State game every day, every week, it's hard. I just can't go chasing. I've got to let it come to me. I've got to stay in my wheelhouse," Tuimoloau said on Aug. 21. "Playing fast, playing physical. Continue to be the player I am and just bring that every week."

RELATED Jeremiah Smith Showcases How He's “Built Different” in Two-Touchdown Debut

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