"Trying to get three more" - Jeremiah Smith sets massive target at Ohio State's historic championship in Atlanta

As coach Ryan Day's most potent offensive weapon, Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith dominated conversations leading up to the Buckeyes' national championship game against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish on Monday. Smith had promised to put on a show during his pregame news conference, and he lived up to the hype by tallying 88 yards on five receptions, resulting in one touchdown in the 34-23 win.

In his postgame news conference, Smith had an ominous message for the rest of college football regarding Ohio State's future:

"Feeling good, feeling good," Jeremiah Smith said. "Got that first one. Trying to get three more...two more."

Jeremiah Smith makes CFP's most eye-catching play

With just 2:45 left on the clock, the resilient Notre Dame Fighting Irish had cornered the Ohio State Buckeyes at their own 36-yard line. This followed an impressive comeback, narrowing the gap to within a single score after trailing 21-7 at halftime. Buckeyes' offensive coordinator Chip Kelly called an unexpected play with quarterback Will Howard launching a 54-yard pass to Jeremiah Smith, setting up a first and goal, from which the game was ultimately won.

In his postgame news conference, national championship-winning coach Ryan Day broke down Smith's clutch play:

“If they play one on one on the outside, we are gonna take our shot,” Day said. “They made a great job of gameplanning us, Will [Howard] made a huge throw, and Jeremiah [Smith] made a huge catch to seal the game."

"Yeah, I wanted to call it sooner, but the guys were talking to me about running the clock down, which I was good with because it was the right thing to do. I think there was a point we mismanaged it a little bit and we snapped it a little bit too soon."

The Texas Longhorns effectively limited the impact of the explosive wide receiver by double- and triple-teaming him during the Cotton Bowl Classic, where he only managed three yards on one reception—his quietest game in the college football playoffs.

During his pregame news conference for the national championship game, Smith warned the Fighting Irish against playing man coverage. He justified this warning with his touchdown and clutch play down the stretch, securing the victory for his team.

"If you are going to play man [to-man defense] against Ohio State, be ready," Smith said. "I can't wait to put on a show."

Jeremiah Smith capped off his national championship-winning season with an impressive freshman campaign, amassing 1,312 yards on 76 receptions and scoring 15 touchdowns.