Five months after Ohio State’s thrilling victory over Notre Dame in the College Football Playoff national title game, a bold claim from former Notre Dame running back Jonas Gray has sparked a firestorm among fans and drawn a cheeky response from Buckeyes star Jeremiah Smith. Gray, a Super Bowl champ with the Patriots in 2014, took to X over the weekend to hype up Fighting Irish cornerback Leonard Moore, one of the nation’s top corners heading into 2025. Gray stirred the pot by insisting Moore “strapped up” Smith in the title game, writing, “He actually strapped up Jeremiah Smith in the Natty, but people aren’t ready to have that conversation yet.” It’s the kind of comment that’s bound to get a reaction, and Ohio State fans didn’t hold back.
The X replies lit up with fans pointing out Smith’s stat line from the game: five catches, 88 yards, and a clutch touchdown that helped seal the Buckeyes’ championship. The claim was so wild that even Smith himself couldn’t resist chiming in, reposting Gray’s message with a blunt “Yea ok” and a laughing emoji that said it all. Gray tried to double down, giving props to Ohio State quarterback Will Howard for his game-changing runs and arguing that Smith only had two catches for eight yards against Moore specifically. “I said Leonard Moore strapped him. Not ND,” Gray clarified, adding that Smith’s highlight-reel 56-yard grab late in the game came against a different defender. But for Buckeyes fans, the stat sheet—and Smith’s touchdown—told the real story.
No doubt, Leonard Moore is a name to watch for Notre Dame in 2025. The freshman phenom played all 16 games last season, racking up 48 tackles, two interceptions, and 11 passes defended, cementing himself as a cornerstone of the Fighting Irish secondary. But as Smith showed in the title game, elite receivers like him—already a projected top-10 NFL Draft pick—can exploit mismatches, even against top-tier corners. Gray’s post might’ve been a nod to Moore’s potential, but it also reminded everyone why Smith’s performance in Arlington was a big reason Ohio State hoisted the trophy. As the 2025 season looms, this X spat is just a taste of the trash talk that’ll fuel the next chapter of this rivalry. Check the sports card above for a breakdown of Smith’s title-game stats and Moore’s breakout freshman year.
