Caitlin Clark walked into Saturday’s “College GameDay” as the obvious guest picker for the show’s first trip to the Iowa campus in 20 years, but even the Hawkeye icon couldn’t escape the reaction from the crowd when she made a pick Iowa fans didn’t want to hear.
Clark had gone into the segment aiming for a perfect run in her Saturday Selections, or at least to top Glen Powell’s 7-2 mark from earlier in the season before Texas-Ohio State. One of her calls came in the noon ET matchup between West Virginia and Iowa State, and the assumption around the crowd was that she would side against the Cyclones.
She didn’t.
The decision drew boos from the Iowa crowd, an unusual sound for Clark in Carver-Hawkeye Arena territory.
“I said I wanted to get 100% accuracy,” Clark told the Iowa crowd. “You can boo me. I’ll make you happy at the end.”
And she did exactly that on her next pick, backing Iowa to beat Ohio State.
That choice came with some history behind it. Iowa has beaten Ohio State before, including a 55-24 win in 2017 the last time the teams met at Kinnick Stadium. The Hawkeyes also knocked off the Buckeyes 33-7 at home in 2004.
Still, Ohio State has controlled the series for a long stretch, winning 14 of the last 16 meetings between the teams. That total does not include a 20-17 Buckeyes win in 2010 that was later vacated.
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Iowa Got One Encouraging Development After A Brutal Night At Ohio State
Iowa left Columbus with the kind of loss that can linger, falling 31-14 to Ohio State after a rough night on both sides of the ball. The Hawkeyes had to navigate more than just the scoreboard, too, as three starters went down during the game, adding another layer of concern to an already difficult trip.
Kirk Ferentz offered at least a bit of relief afterward, saying the injuries to Hank Brown, Deshaun Lee and Zach Lutmer are not expected to be serious. Iowa also got a small lift from backup quarterback Jeremy Hecklinski, who came in and guided the teams only touchdown drive, a modest bright spot on a night that otherwise belonged to the Buckeyes. [Read more 🡒]
Iowa Just Got A Frustrating Reality Check Before Washington
Iowas trip to Ohio State turned into a sobering reminder of how thin the margin can be against the sports elite. The No. 14 Hawkeyes came away with a loss after struggling to get much going on offense, with quarterback Hank Brown throwing an interception before leaving the game with a mild sprain, while the defense had a hard time slowing down a Buckeyes attack that kept finding answers.
Jeremiah Smith was at the center of it, piling up 206 receiving yards and two touchdowns while also moving into Ohio States all-time lead in receptions and tying the program career touchdown record. For Iowa, the more immediate concern is what the performance and the injuries mean heading into Washington, where the Hawkeyes will need to regroup quickly if they want to avoid carrying this frustration into another big matchup. [Read more 🡒]
Iowa Let Ohio State Hang Around Until One Problem Took Over
Iowa had Ohio State in a game for long stretches at Kinnick Stadium, even as the Buckeyes left with a 31-14 win. The Hawkeyes did a respectable job slowing the ground game, holding Ohio State to 3.4 yards per carry on 47 rushing attempts, and for stretches the defense gave the home crowd reason to think the upset was within reach.
Jeremiah Smith changed the feel of the night. The Ohio State receiver repeatedly found space downfield, finishing with 11 catches for 206 yards and two touchdowns, and Iowa never found a clean answer once the Buckeyes decided to lean on him. The Hawkeyes also had chances to tighten things up, but penalties and mistakes kept them from turning those openings into real pressure on the No. 1 team. [Read more 🡒]