Freshman receiver Jeremiah Smith caught two of Will Howard’s three touchdown passes as No. 2 Ohio State stampeded visiting Akron 52-6 on Saturday in the season opener in Columbus.

Smith, the nation’s top recruit in the Class of 2024, dropped the first ball thrown to him but had scores of 16 and 9 yards in the first half to help the Buckeyes to a 17-3 lead at the break.

Howard, a Kansas State transfer in his Ohio State debut, was shaky, missing on his first four passes and completing only 10 of 21 for 116 yards through two quarters. He finished the game 17 of 28 for 228 yards.

Akron, a 48 1/2-point underdog, took a 3-0 lead at the 8:44 mark of the first quarter on a 48-yard field goal by Garrison Smith.

The Zips did little throughout the remainder of the half, finishing with 83 total yards, including minus-2 rushing.

The Buckeyes took control when Howard engineered a 75-yard drive capped with his scoring pass to Smith, who contorted to make the 16-yard grab along the left sideline.

After a field goal following a Denzel Burke interception, Howard found Smith on a slant for a 17-3 lead late in the second quarter.

Smith, a possible heir apparent to Marvin Harrison Jr., the No. 4 pick by the Arizona Cardinals in the 2024 NFL Draft, finished with six receptions for 92 yards.

Smith made a 45-yard catch to set up a 2-yard touchdown run by Quinshon Judkins to make it 24-3 midway through the third quarter. The Buckeyes went up 31-3 on Lathan Ransom’s 27-yard scoop-and-score 18 seconds later.

Howard’s third touchdown pass went for 34 yards to Carnell Tate with 10:16 to play for a 45-6 lead.

Akron quarterback Tahj Bullock was 9 for 13 for 68 yards and rushed for 42 yards in relief of starter Ben Finley, who was 8-for-14 for 53 yards with an interception.