The best college football teams avoid complacency, even when it is clear that they have the talent necessary to compete for national championships. At Ohio State, superstar wide receiver Jeremiah Smith seemingly has found his motivation for the 2025 season. 

Despite Smith entering his sophomore campaign as a reigning national champion and the Buckeyes garnering love as a preseason darling once again, the Big Ten's premier wideout saw a few naysayers on social media and used them as fuel to work hard this summer.

To those who are low on the Buckeyes after their run to the 2024 College Football Playoff title, Smith sent a sharp warning.

"We're definitely gonna put on a show," Smith said, via 10TV. "A lot of people have been doubting us. I've been seeing it on Twitter and social media. So I can't wait to prove a lot of people wrong this year."

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It is not uncommon for programs at the top of the food chain to seek bulletin board material in an effort to keep themselves hungry. Georgia coach Kirby Smart infamously used supposed doubters from throughout the college football world to motivate his Bulldogs during their national title defense in 2022, helping to fuel his squad to back-to-back championships.

Ohio State could follow in that Georgia team's footsteps and become the second repeat champion of the decade. Not only does Smith return this season as arguably the top overall player in the sport, but safety Caleb Downs is perhaps the best defensive player in the land, too. Combined with a bevy of former top recruits who are poised to step into larger roles, the Buckeyes boast plenty of upside despite the losses of 14 NFL Draft picks.

"We put in a lot of work with Coach Mick [strength and conditioning coach Mickey Marotti]," Smith said. "Workouts this year I can say was harder than last year. They've been pushing us hard because it's a new team. Everybody's got new roles and stuff like that. I just can't wait until the season starts."

While Smith made note of Ohio State's apparent doubters, the consensus is that this team has everything it needs to maintain its perch atop the Big Ten and push for another national championship. The betting market at FanDuel Sportsbook views the Buckeyes as one of the best teams in the country with the best odds to win the Big Ten (+190), a tremendous chance to get back into the CFP (-310) and the second-best national title outlook (+600).

From an individual perspective, anything better than his freshman production would place Smith squarely in the Heisman Trophy race. He led the Big Ten last fall with 1,315 yards and 15 touchdowns in one of the best freshman seasons the sport has seen in quite some time at the receiver position.