News Article
Published
Oct 12, 2026 at 07:45 PM EDT
Curt Cignetti knows his Indiana Hoosiers defense will have their hands full when trying to contain Ohio State star Jeremiah Smith.
The Hoosiers will host the Buckeyes in a colossal Big Ten showdown this Saturday. Indiana will attempt to cement itself as a legitimate contender to repeat as national champions while derailing Smith's Heisman bid. The wide receiver already has 916 yards and 11 touchdowns in six games this season.
Cignetti lauded his upcoming opponent ahead of the monumental meeting.
"He’s taken it up a notch, without question," Cignetti said Monday, via Eleven Warriors. "... There’s no one like him right now, playing at this level. I mean, we got two really good ones. He's a freak. We're going to have to do a great job on him."
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Opposing defenses haven't had an answer for Smith, who's found the end zone eight times in his last three games. The junior has exceeded 150 yards four times and topped 200 in back-to-back conference wins over Illinois and Iowa.
The Hoosiers may have a better chance than most defenses of slowing Smith down. They've allowed just 188.5 passing yards and 11.8 points per game amid a 5-0 start to the 2026 campaign.
Smith settled for 46 yards against Indiana as a freshman, but he led Ohio State to a Big Ten Championship win with 144 yards last December. At this rate, Cignetti may not mind that output if they keep the 20-year-old out of the end zone again.
Saturday's game between Indiana and Ohio State starts at noon ET on Fox.