Every week gives Iowa players a chance to flash on film, but Ohio State coming to Kinnick Stadium is a different kind of stage. This is the kind of matchup that can change how a player is viewed, and for three Hawkeyes in particular, Saturday brings a shot to make a much bigger statement.
Deshaun Lee is one of them. Iowa has built a habit of sending defensive backs to the next level, and Lee looks like he belongs in that conversation.
But this game can push his stock even higher. He’ll be tested by Jeremiah Smith and other Ohio State receivers, and if Lee can stay composed and avoid getting beat often, that would matter a lot on the biggest stage.
It would also give Phil Parker more room to be creative with pressure instead of leaning so heavily on coverage.
Tony Diaz is another name with something to prove. His confidence shows up in his game, and that edge matters at this level.
With all the attention around Jeremiah Smith this week, Diaz has every reason to come out aggressive. If he can get loose, Iowa’s passing game could help keep the Hawkeyes in the fight.
He has the big-play ability to make noise, and if he can go toe-to-toe with Smith, people across the country will notice.
Then there’s Zach Lutmer, whose versatility makes him one of the more intriguing players in this group. He has the kind of intangibles that point toward an NFL future, and this game gives him a chance to show it off.
His role won’t be limited to coverage, either. Phil Parker is likely to load him up with responsibility.
Lutmer will have to deal with Jeremiah Smith at times, but his tackling may end up being just as important. If Iowa can slow the passing game and force Ohio State to lean on Bo Jackson on the ground, Lutmer could be called on to run the alley and shut down those chunk plays on the edge, especially with Cam Buffington and Jayden Montgomery already playing well at linebacker.
In Other News...
Iowas Upset Shot Vs Ohio State May Come Down To These Hawkeyes
The buildup to Iowas matchup with Ohio State has naturally centered on how the Hawkeyes can keep the Buckeyes uncomfortable long enough to make it a game. A lot of that conversation starts with Iowas own playmakers, from DJ Vonnahme to Braeden Jackson and Anthony Hawkins, because if the Hawkeyes are going to threaten an upset, it likely has to come from an offense that can do just enough to complement the defense.
The challenge only gets steeper when you look at Ohio States wide receiver talent, which can force Iowa to defend every inch of the field. Still, this is the kind of game where the Hawkeyes can hang around if the right names show up at the right time, and the real question is whether those players can turn possibility into something more against one of the countrys toughest teams. [Read more 🡒]
Iowa Still Has One Big Problem Heading Into Ohio State
Iowas offense has spent much of the first month of the season trying to find traction on the ground, and the issues have shown up most clearly against the tougher fronts on the schedule. The Hawkeyes have not had their top two running backs on the field together much this year because of injury, which has left the rotation unsettled and made it harder to establish the kind of run game Iowa usually leans on.
Ohio State comes in as a different kind of test, even if its defense has given up plenty of rushing yards in recent games. That opens the door a bit for Iowa, but it also puts the focus right back on the Hawkeyes biggest question: whether the backs can finally get healthy and give the offense the balance it has been missing. [Read more 🡒]
Iowa Gets Its Biggest Kinnick Chance Yet Against Ohio State
Kinnick Stadium is about to get the kind of spotlight Iowa rarely sees, with Ohio State coming in for a Big Ten showdown that has already drawn ESPN College GameDay and a CBS primetime window. For a program that has built its identity on staying steady in big moments, this is the sort of stage that tests whether the home-field edge can still matter when the attention is national and the opponent arrives with the usual heavyweight expectations.
Kirk Ferentz said he has felt nervous about the season and the game ahead, and he framed that feeling as part of caring about the moment rather than backing away from it. There is a case for Iowa to lean into the free-swinging side of the matchup, since the Hawkeyes have little to lose against a national power, but there is also a stronger argument that the nerves themselves are proof of how much this opportunity means. [Read more 🡒]