Ohio State’s 2026 season has gone from championship dreams to an outright disaster. A humiliating 41-28 home loss to No. 23 Oregon dealt another crushing blow to the 12th-ranked Buckeyes, leaving their Big Ten title hopes shattered and their playoff chances hanging by a thread.

After back-to-back collapses against USC and Oregon, former Alabama national champion and CBS Sports analyst Damien Harris dropped a bombshell on the CBS Sports CFB Postgame show, telling co-host Cardale Jones that Jeremiah Smith has nothing left to prove in Columbus and may have already played his final snap for Ohio State.

Harris acknowledged that Ohio State still has its annual rivalry showdown against Michigan ahead, but questioned whether that game alone justified putting Smith’s NFL future at risk.

“If he wants to continue to represent the brand, you still got the game up north. That’s a possibility. That’s still on the table. In my opinion, there’s nothing to gain. There’s everything to lose. If you’re Jeremiah Smith, I don’t think that he plays again the rest of the season for Ohio State.”

Having played under Nick Saban at Alabama before spending five seasons in the NFL, Harris knows the stakes involved. With CBS Sports projecting Smith as the No. 1 overall prospect in the 2027 NFL Draft, he believes the receiver should protect his health. Harris also clarified that his comments weren’t meant as criticism of Ryan Day, Luke Fahey, or the Buckeyes’ program.

And Ohio State’s offensive struggles only add weight to his argument.

The Buckeyes have struggled to find consistency since starting quarterback Julian Sayin injured his throwing arm against Indiana on October 17. Although Sayin is expected to miss the remainder of the regular season, Ryan Day hasn’t ruled out a postseason return. Speaking on November 5, Day said the injury appeared to be healing, although recovery would take considerable time.

True freshman Luke Fahey threw for 360 yards against Oregon, but those numbers couldn’t disguise another offensive meltdown. Ohio State squandered an early 14-0 lead as the Ducks ripped off 38 unanswered points. The Buckeyes also failed on all four of their fourth-down attempts, turning a promising start into a complete collapse.

The frustration eventually spilled onto the sideline, where stadium cameras caught Smith yelling toward the coaching staff. The junior receiver appeared visibly upset with his involvement in the offense as Ohio State struggled to move the ball.

Smith finished with seven receptions for 133 yards and a touchdown, but much of that production came after Oregon had already built a commanding lead. His 13-yard touchdown catch from Fahey came with just 3:25 remaining in the fourth quarter, cutting the deficit to 38-22.

But while Harris believes Smith should shut things down, the receiver still has unfinished business in Columbus.

His Heisman Trophy hopes have taken a massive hit following Sayin’s injury, but the Biletnikoff Award remains within reach. Sitting out the remaining games could seriously damage his chances of claiming one of college football’s most prestigious individual honors.

And imagine arguably the greatest wide receiver prospect college football has ever seen finishing his three-year Ohio State career without winning a single Biletnikoff Award. For someone who has already rewritten the Buckeyes’ receiving record books, that would be a glaring omission from an otherwise remarkable résumé.

Perhaps that’s reason enough for Smith to finish the season strong and challenge contenders like Oregon State’s Jessee Legree and Miami’s Malachi Toney for the award.

The Buckeyes may be running out of reasons to celebrate, but Smith still has a chance to put one final stamp on his Ohio State legacy before heading to the NFL.

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