COLUMBUS, Ohio — Jeremiah Smith lived up to expectations in his Ohio State debut.

And the offense finally got going after a slow start in coordinator Chip Kelly’s first game, with the Buckeyes calling the plays.

Smith, the No. 4 overall pick in 2024 by ESPN 300 and the second-best wideout, scored both touchdowns for Ohio State in the first half and led the second-best Buckeyes to a 52-6 win over Akron in Saturday’s season opener.

“Sometimes you look at him and you don’t even think he’s human at all,” Ohio State coach Ryan Day said. “He’s built differently.”

After just one game, Smith already appears to be the next in a rising line of productive Buckeyes receivers.

In the past three years alone, Garrett Wilson, Chris Olave, Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Marvin Harrison Jr. were all first-round picks. Ohio State also boasts preseason All-American Emeka Egbuka, another projected first-round pick in 2025 who began his senior season with four catches.

Smith stole the show, however, becoming the first Ohio State freshman to debut with two touchdown receptions in 26 yards. He finished with six catches for 92 yards.

“I know all the hype around me was crazy when I came in,” he said. “I just wanted to come in and be a man, just work and not just be about the hype.”

Despite the hype, Smith said he didn’t feel any pressure heading into Saturday, but he still felt nervous.

On Ohio State’s first possession, he let a screen pass deflect off his chest with room to run in front of him, leaving the Buckeyes to score after three plays.

“I’m glad it happened,” Smith said, noting that he was “relieved” to have the initial drop out of the way. “(The team) just told me, ‘Calm down, you’re good. Go on to the next play.'”

Smith went ahead and took over the game as well.

On the next drive, he hauled in two third-down passes for first downs. Then, on another third down, Smith shook his man at the front cone for a 16-yard scoring reception to give the Buckeyes their first lead of the day.

“If you get him in one-on-one coverage, he’s going to win,” said quarterback Will Howard, a Kansas State transfer who also had a sharp debut for Ohio State with 228 passing yards. “All I have to do is give him a shot and he’ll do the rest.”

Howard continued to follow Smith’s path.

In the second quarter, he connected with Smith on a slant route for a 9-yard touchdown, making Smith the first Buckeye since Ted Ginn Jr. in 2006 to score two receiving touchdowns in the first half of an opener, according to ESPN Stats & Information research.

Then, on Ohio State’s second play of the second half, Howard found Smith in one-on-one coverage again. Smith beat his man along the sideline before catching the pass with one hand as he slid toward the Akron 1-yard line. The 45-yard reception set up Quinshon Judkins’ scoring dive on the next play, giving the Buckeyes the lead, 24-3.

Ohio State scored touchdowns on its next two offensive drives.

This offseason, Day handed over his play-calling duties to Kelly, who left his head coaching job at UCLA to join the Buckeyes. Day, a former quarterback, played for Kelly at New Hampshire and later coached with him there. The two both grew up in Manchester, New Hampshire.

On Saturday, Kelly, the former head coach of Oregon, the Philadelphia Eagles and the San Francisco 49ers, mounted a patient but balanced offense. The Buckeyes threw for 234 yards and ran for 170 yards, averaging 5.2 yards per attempt.

“I thought Chip did a good job, he kept pushing the run. You could see it starting to take effect in the second half,” Day said. “I thought Chip had a good game. I really think he did. He knows what he wants to do with this team. He wants to establish this run and that may not mean scoring 70 points or anything, but we’ve got to establish the run at the end of the season.”

However, the Buckeyes also showed they can beat teams in the air, especially as Smith complements Ohio State’s other weapons.

Until Smith’s performance, Michael Wiley was the last Ohio State freshman to debut with two touchdown catches. But Wiley’s two scores came in the second half of a 70-7 win over Rice in 1996.

“Jeremiah, he’s a guy, man,” Howard said. “This is just the beginning for him. I’m excited to see how this season goes for him. He’s a phenomenal player.”