Jeremiah Smith’s admission about the Michigan Wolverines could signal just what is to come for the Ohio State Buckeyes

Ohio State’s run to a National Championship last season was all the more impressive given what came before it. Rebounding from a fourth straight loss to Michigan was a major statement by Ryan Day and the Buckeyes.

The season could have easily unraveled after Ohio State’s loss to Michigan in the final regular-season game. That defeat cost them a shot at the Big Ten title and forced them into a first-round College Football Playoff matchup against Tennessee.

Star wide receiver Jeremiah Smith has a clear message about losing to the Michigan Wolverines

There has never been a freshman who stepped onto the field and produced like Jeremiah Smith did last season for the Buckeyes. He racked up over 1,300 receiving yards, but the loss to Michigan still lingers. Despite being a Florida native, Smith fully understands the significance of the rivalry.

“I’m not a sore loser, but I hate losing, and losing to that team up north was pretty crazy,” Smith said, via The Athletic. “In the end, I think it really helped us play the way we did in the playoffs. But I didn’t come to Ohio State to lose to that team up north. I just hate them. There’s just something about them. For the next two years, I promise you, I will not lose to them. I can’t lose to them in the next two years.”