Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Jeremiah Smith made college football history Saturday, officially becoming the Big Ten Conference’s all-time leader in receiving touchdowns. Smith snagged his 40th career touchdown catch during Ohio State's matchup against the University of Southern California Trojans, passing former University of Michigan Wolverines standout Braylon Edwards on the all-time list.
Passing a legend is always sweet, but doing it across rival lines makes the feat even bigger. Edwards had held the conference record with 39 touchdown catches since wrapping up his collegiate career in 2004. Shortly after Smith reached the milestone in Los Angeles, the former Michigan star put rivalry animosity aside to tip his cap to the Buckeye sensation in a video message.
“Just giving a shoutout to a young man who just took over the all-time lead in receiving touchdowns for the Big Ten,” Edwards said. “Shoutout to Jeremiah Smith of, yeah that school down south in Columbus. Kudos to you, you're a young brother, you've been working hard, busting your butt, one of one, it's been fun to watch what you do.”
THE Braylon Edwards congratulates Jeremiah Smith on breaking the ALL-TIME Big 10 Touchdown Record 🔥
Two Big 10 LEGENDS 🤝 pic.twitter.com/1ysFlv1Prh
— Woodward Sports Network (@woodwardsports) November 1, 2026
The historic touchdown against USC capped off another landmark week for the standout wideout. Smith had tied Edwards’ long-standing mark on Oct. 17 during Ohio State's 19-15 victory over the Indiana Hoosiers before claiming the top spot outright on Saturday. Entering the game with 52 receptions for 984 yards and 12 touchdowns on the year, he delivered when his team needed him most.
Article Continues BelowWith 40 receiving scores now under his belt, Smith continues to rewrite record books at both the program and conference levels. The junior already holds Ohio State program records for career receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns, a historic trifecta he locked up earlier this season.
Seeing a Michigan icon like Edwards publicly salute the player breaking his record speaks volumes about Smith’s generational impact. The Big Ten touchdown crown now officially belongs to Columbus, and Smith is still building his legacy.

