Sayin and Smith Named to 2026 Big Ten Preseason Honors List
7/28/2026 11:03:00 AM | Football
Wide receiver Jeremiah Smith is one of two players in the conference to be named to the list in the last two seasons.
CHICAGO, Ill. -- Ohio State football was one of just four schools to have multiple Big Ten Preseason honorees as announced by the league on Tuesday morning.Â
Junior wide receiver Jeremiah Smith is one of two players in the conference to be named to the list in the last two seasons while redshirt sophomore quarterback Julian Sayin was also on the list of 12 names.Â
2026 Big Ten Preseason HonorsÂ
Smith has more receiving yards and receiving touchdowns - 2,558 and 27, respectively - than anyone in the country the past two seasons and he has the second-most receptions - 163 - the last two years (Toledo's Junior Vandeross has 167).Â
Sayin won his first 12 games as the starter for Ohio State, becoming the third Buckeye quarterback in the Ryan Day era to do so. Â
In the process, he became a Heisman Trophy finalist and led the nation in completion percentage (77.0 pct.), ranking second nationally in efficiency (177.5) while throwing for 3,610 yards and 32 touchdowns (fourth nationally) with only eight interceptions. Â
His 77.0 completion percentage in 2025 is the best in single-season program history, is a Big Ten Record and also is third highest in FBS history (Bo Nix in 2023 at Oregon (77.4 pct.) and Mac Jones in 2020 at Alabama (77.4 pct.). Â
3,610 passing yards in 2025 ranks fifth in single-season program history. 301 pass completions in 2025 rank fourth in single-season program history.Â
He became the first Ohio State quarterback to complete better than 85 pct. of his passes in a game for over 300 yards and at least three TDs and no interceptions when he did so vs. Minnesota (85.2 pct.-326 yards-3 TDs) on Oct. 4, 2025 and Wisconsin (85.7-393-4) on Oct. 18, 2025.Â
Sayin goes into the 2026 season with six career 300-plus yard passing games which ranks sixth in career program history.Â
Junior wide receiver Jeremiah Smith is one of two players in the conference to be named to the list in the last two seasons while redshirt sophomore quarterback Julian Sayin was also on the list of 12 names.Â
2026 Big Ten Preseason HonorsÂ
- WR Charlie Becker, INDÂ
- LB Rolijah Hardy, INDÂ
- DL Tyrique Tucker, INDÂ
- OL Kade Pieper, IOWAÂ
- DL Anthony Smith, MINNÂ
- QB Julian Sayin, OSUÂ
- WR Jeremiah Smith, OSUÂ
- QB Dante Moore, OREÂ
- DB Koi Perich, OREÂ
- QB Jayden Maiava, USCÂ
- WR KJ Duff, RUÂ
- RB Antwan Raymond, RUÂ
Smith has more receiving yards and receiving touchdowns - 2,558 and 27, respectively - than anyone in the country the past two seasons and he has the second-most receptions - 163 - the last two years (Toledo's Junior Vandeross has 167).Â
Sayin won his first 12 games as the starter for Ohio State, becoming the third Buckeye quarterback in the Ryan Day era to do so. Â
In the process, he became a Heisman Trophy finalist and led the nation in completion percentage (77.0 pct.), ranking second nationally in efficiency (177.5) while throwing for 3,610 yards and 32 touchdowns (fourth nationally) with only eight interceptions. Â
His 77.0 completion percentage in 2025 is the best in single-season program history, is a Big Ten Record and also is third highest in FBS history (Bo Nix in 2023 at Oregon (77.4 pct.) and Mac Jones in 2020 at Alabama (77.4 pct.). Â
3,610 passing yards in 2025 ranks fifth in single-season program history. 301 pass completions in 2025 rank fourth in single-season program history.Â
He became the first Ohio State quarterback to complete better than 85 pct. of his passes in a game for over 300 yards and at least three TDs and no interceptions when he did so vs. Minnesota (85.2 pct.-326 yards-3 TDs) on Oct. 4, 2025 and Wisconsin (85.7-393-4) on Oct. 18, 2025.Â
Sayin goes into the 2026 season with six career 300-plus yard passing games which ranks sixth in career program history.Â
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