On New Year's Eve, the Ohio State Buckeyes will face off against the Miami Hurricanes in the Cotton Bowl with a trip to the College Football Playoff semifinals on the line. The matchup has reopened a ton of talk about Miami natives playing for the Buckeyes as former high school rivals will faceoff all over in this matchup. No player has been at the center of the conversation in this matchup more than Jeremiah Smith.
The Miami Gardens native has been the best wide receiver in college football since the moment he stepped on the field for Ohio State. Back in the day, a player of Jeremiah Smith's stature would've never left his backyard, but as Mario Cristobal was still rebuilding The U, he ended up in Columbus.
While Miami lost out on Jeremiah Smith, they almost kept the best player in the sport at home. Jeremiah Smith and Cam Ward have both shared that they spoke about uniting in Miami while Smith was still waiting to sign his Letter of Intent and Smith specifically talked about how he may have ended up at Miami if Ward was already committed at the time.
"It depends, it depends, it would have been a tough decision. … That would have definitely been something special, for sure."Jeremiah Smith
Ever since that moment, Miami fans have been thinking about what could've been as pairing Cam Ward and Jeremiah Smith would've been magical while Malachi Toney and Smith would be an unstoppable duo before Smith heads to the NFL Draft.
Jeremiah Smith's comments at the Cotton Bowl bring back the pain for Miami
On Monday, players from Ohio State and Miami players spoke to the media just days away from their clash. Given all the excitement around Miami, On3's Ari Wasserman asked Jeremiah Smith if he would've been a Cane if the program was at this level during his recruitment, and the answer has Miami fans feeling the pain once again.
If Miami had won more or played in games like this during Jeremiah Smith’s high school career, would he be a Hurricane right now?
— Ari Wasserman (@AriWasserman) December 29, 2025
He said yes. pic.twitter.com/iaOehXDA6P
The bad news for Miami is that unless Jeremiah Smith shockingly enters the Transfer Portal, there's nothing you can do as you missed out on a generational talent from your backyard. Smith would've been so vital for Miami not only on the field, but for bringing back that swagger and attracting other recruits.
On the other hand, you have to consider the fact that Smith is now giving props to Miami and think about where the program is. Miami is now in a place where they're back on the map, and it should lead to Mario Cristobal dominating on the recruiting trail and ensuring the next Jeremiah Smith stays home.