Ohio State is going to be one of Texas’ toughest matchup of the season. And that concern is bolstered with the presence of Buckeyes’ WR Jeremiah Smith who became a national sensation in his freshman season. Steve Sarkisian and the Longhorns may be a touchdown underdog in the upcoming Cotton Bowl. But if they can find a way to tackle their opponent’s 19-year-old threat, they have a real chance at putting a stop to OSU’s playoff dominance.

Who is the best match for Jeremiah Smith in the CFP semifinal? January 8’s ESPN College Football episode had Greg McElroy offering a winning possibility for Texas. The ESPN analyst said, “We could have one of the better matchups on the perimeter that we’ll have all bowl season. That is Jeremiah Smith against Jahdae Barron who’s 5’11, 200-pounds. He won the Thorpe award and as always, seemingly stepped up and made a play for Texas when it had to be made.”

Texas is known for their elite staff and players and DB Jahdae Barron is one of them. The fifth-year Texas native put together an incredible season in 2024 with 42 solo tackles, five interceptions, and 11 passes defended across 15 games. He’s not only the winner of the season’s Jim Thorpe Award, but was also named the Peach Bowl Defensive MVP in their clash against Arizona State by registering 11 total tackles (7 solo). 

Jahdae Barron will get help from other star Longhorns’ defenders like Michael Taaffe, Andrew Mukaba, and Malik Muhammad. But despite his formidable achievements and teammates, he hasn’t met the likes of Jeremiah Smith, the teenage WR who hit the 1,000-yard milestone in his true freshman season. But as far as Barron’s mindset goes, it’s much more of an excitement than dread. 

Jahdae Barron is hyped about meeting Jeremiah Smith 

Jeremiah Smith’s regular season record of 1,037 yards and 12 touchdowns on 63 receptions is impressive. But it was in the playoffs that he became a real beast, racking up 103 yards and two scores against Tennessee in the CFP round 1. Then he went on to deliver a crushing blow to Oregon in the Rose Bowl with a season-high 187 yards and two TDs, averaging 26.7 yards on seven receptions. So what’s Jahdae Barron’s comment on Smith before the matchup?

You can expect a physical game inside AT&T Stadium on January 10. Barron and the Longhorns know what they’re up against on Friday. He labels Smith as a “big baller” with a “strong ability” who will be a “deep threat” to Texas. But he also calls this matchup a “great challenge for [Smith] and also for the other receivers they have.” He also added, “Also, the game’s a physical game. He’s a physical player, and I’ll have to be physical. I’m a physical player myself. I think that’s the great thing about football. I’ve been having an opportunity to go against amazing players. So it’ll just be a fun opportunity.”

Jeremiah Smith isn’t just another player, though. His is a story of transforming adversity to motivation. We’ll see if this difference shows up in the highly-anticipated Cotton Bowl game.