Jeremiah Smith causes major touchdown controversy after injury return; ‘Ohio vs Michigan rigged?’

Jeremiah Smith sparked controversy on Saturday with a touchdown vs Michigan

Published on: Nov 30, 2025, 24:20:30 IST

By Yash Nitish Bajaj

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It is difficult to keep Jeremiah Smith from the headlines. The Ohio State star, who missed time this season due to injury, sparked controversy on Saturday with a touchdown against Michigan. During the high-stakes game, Michigan quickly built an early 6-3 advantage, only for Jeremiah Smith to cross the goal line for a 35-yard touchdown in the second quarter.

Jeremiah Smith #4 of the Ohio State Buckeyes catches a pass during the second quarter against the Michigan Wolverines (Getty Images via AFP)

However, the celebrations were halted for a moment. Officials sent the play to review after replays showed Smith juggling the ball as he approached the end zone. The critical question: Did Smith regain full control before stepping out of bounds, or was it a fumble that should’ve resulted in a Michigan touchback?

Despite slow-motion angles suggesting Smith may have been out of bounds during the second bobble, the ruling on the field stood. The touchdown counted, largely because the replay wasn’t conclusive enough to overturn the original call, a decision that immediately angered Michigan fans.

Michigan answered on the very next possession, methodically driving downfield before drilling a 49-yard field goal to pull within 10–9 just before halftime.

“That is a terrible call in the Michigan game. Jeremiah Smith very clearly fumbled that and it should be Michigan ball and a touchback,” one fan wrote on X, platform formerly known as Twitter.

“If we’re calling this a touchdown then idk what our sport has come to. Jeremiah Smith is coughing the ball up yards before the end zone😂” another one added.

Smith and Carnell Tate, who were both out with injuries, took the field against Michigan on Saturday. Both WRs missed the Buckeyes' 42-9 rout of Rutgers last weekend. Head coach Ryan Day had said that they were ‘day-to-day’.

"They're going to continue to get some rest tonight, had a good day of rehab. So we’ll wake up in the morning and see how they're doing, but nobody wants to play more than those two guys," Day said at the time.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yash Nitish Bajaj
Yash Bajaj is a Chief Content Producer with a strong foundation in US coverage, digital strategy, and audience-focused storytelling. As part of the US Desk at Hindustan Times, he covers a wide range of topics - from American politics to sports (NFL, NBA, derbies, MLB and more). Before joining Hindustan Times, Yash served as Deputy News Editor at Times Now, where he oversaw international coverage and led a team of six. In this role, he significantly expanded global traffic through strategic planning, SEO-driven content execution, and meticulous trend tracking across platforms. He is experienced in managing high-pressure breaking-news shifts, coordinating live coverage, and building newsroom systems that improve speed, accuracy, and reach. Prior to Times Now, Yash held a position at Opoyi, where he headed the Sports and US news team. He developed broad editorial strategies, guided reporters across multiple beats, and played a key role in recruiting and training new talent. His responsibilities also extended to social media management and experimenting with innovative content formats. A passionate NFL fan, Yash is a die-hard supporter of the Cincinnati Bengals and has followed Joe Burrow closely since his college days at LSU. Whether breaking down top players' latest performance, analyzing team performances, or tracking roster moves, he brings the same dedication and sharp storytelling to his sports coverage as he does to American politics and breaking news. When he’s not writing, Yash can often be found watching games or debating the latest NFL storylines with fellow fans. Yash holds a Bachelor of Mass Media (Journalism) from HR College, Mumbai University. His interests extend well beyond the newsroom: he is an enthusiastic explorer of AI tools, a movie buff with an ever-growing watchlist, and someone who enjoys unraveling conspiracy theories for fun.Read More

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