Notre Dame proves that Oregon isn't the only one that can't cover Jeremiah Smith

There is no denying that the Oregon Ducks failed to stop Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith when the two teams met at the Rose Bowl game. However, as the Buckeyes continued their postseason campaign, the Ducks weren't alone in struggling to slow down the star wideout.

The true freshman was a star all season long. As Ohio State prepared to kick off against Notre Dame in the National Championship, Smith had earned 1,227 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns through the air on 71 receptions.

As the first half of the national title game unfolded, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish showed that Oregon wasn't alone in top-tier teams that failed to cover Smith's talent downfield.

Against the Ducks in the must-win Rose Bowl matchup, Smith earned a resounding 187 yards on just seven receptions and scored two touchdowns for the Buckeyes. In the first half against the Fighting Irish, Smith continued to find the end zone with relative ease.

"The same way we converted to close the half, we gotta come out strong in the second half," said Ohio State head coach Ryan Day.

To put Ohio State on the board and tie up the game after a lengthy drive by the Fighting Irish, Smith virtually skipped into the end zone for the Buckeyes' first touchdown of the game.

By halftime, Ohio State had expanded its lead to 21-7 and Notre Dame's offense had effectively stalled after its first drive. The Buckeyes went three-for-three on their first few possessions, finding the end zone on each of their first-half drives.

As the two teams headed to their locker rooms, Smith had already amassed 32 receiving yards on four catches for one of Ohio State's three touchdowns.

"We gotta be able to cover them," said Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman at halftime. "We play a little bit of man and they convert, we play a little bit of zone and they convert."

Smith was joined by fellow star wideout Emka Egbuka in show-stopping first-half performances in the National Championship. Egbuka not only earned 33 yards through the air but he also caught his 202nd pass attempt for the Buckeyes – the most in program history.

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