COLUMBUS — Ohio State head coach Ryan Day has been questioning the lack of pass interference penalties involving Jeremiah Smith for weeks. Now, according to Day, the Big Ten has acknowledged that officials missed calls during Saturday's 19-15 victory over Indiana.
During Tuesday's press conference, Day confirmed that Ohio State submitted several questionable plays from the Indiana game to the conference for review. He said the response included acknowledgment of officiating mistakes, although that did little to ease his frustration.
"We turned in several plays in that game. Quite honestly, there was accountability taken. But sometimes you feel like it's a day late and a dollar short," Day said.
The acknowledgment comes after another afternoon in which Smith faced physical coverage without drawing a defensive pass interference penalty. Despite being one of college football's most productive receivers and the primary focus of opposing secondaries, Smith has not drawn a pass interference flag throughout the 2026 season.
The last documented defensive pass interference penalty involving Smith came against Purdue on November 8, 2025, when defensive back Hudauri Hines was flagged. Nearly a year later, Smith continues to face double coverage and physical defensive attention, but the penalties haven't followed.
Smith's Strength Shouldn't Change the Rules
One possible explanation is that Smith's exceptional physical ability makes certain penalties less obvious. At 6-foot-4 and 222 pounds, he can absorb contact that might knock other receivers off their routes or prevent them from continuing toward the football.
Day has raised that concern before, arguing that Smith's size and strength shouldn't influence whether officials recognize illegal contact.
It's a reasonable complaint. Defensive backs are allowed to play physically, but grabbing a receiver, restricting his movement, or interfering with his opportunity to make a catch before the football arrives is still a penalty. The fact that Smith can sometimes fight through that contact doesn't make it legal.
The problem becomes particularly frustrating when opponents are already devoting multiple defenders to slowing him down. Defenses should be allowed to double-team Smith, press him at the line of scrimmage, and contest passes. They shouldn't be given additional freedom to interfere simply because he's difficult to cover.
Indiana Added to the Frustration
Saturday's matchup featured several plays involving Smith that raised questions about the officiating. One came on a deep pass attempt by Julian Sayin that fell incomplete after contact between Smith and an Indiana defender. And I'm underselling it: Jeremiah Smith was being tackled for five continuous yards before the ball ever arrived. Watch the tape.
No penalty was called. Although Day confirmed that the conference acknowledged missed calls, he did not publicly identify every play involved in that determination.
Smith still finished with four receptions for 68 yards, including a 38-yard touchdown on fourth-and-1 in the fourth quarter. The score extended Ohio State's lead to 19-7, helping the Buckeyes hold off Indiana and end the defending national champions' 22-game winning streak.
Smith has already broken Ohio State's career records for receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns. His production has continued even as opposing defenses devote more attention to stopping him.
Acknowledging Mistakes Isn't Enough
Reviewing plays and acknowledging errors is an important part of holding officials accountable. But Day's frustration is understandable because those acknowledgments don't change what happened on the field or restore opportunities that may have been lost because of missed penalties.
With Julian Sayin sidelined indefinitely and an inexperienced quarterback preparing to take over the offense, Ohio State will be relying heavily on Smith to help ease that transition. Consistent officiating of his matchups will be particularly important over the coming weeks.
Nobody expects officials to throw a flag every time a defender touches Jeremiah Smith. But nearly a full year without a defensive pass interference penalty, followed by the conference acknowledging missed calls, raises legitimate questions about how he's being officiated.
Smith has already demonstrated that he's capable of beating almost any coverage a defense throws at him. He shouldn't also have to overcome penalties that officials fail to call.
