Iowa’s upset of Michigan didn’t just shake up week four - it set the table for a long-awaited return to Iowa City.
The Hawkeyes stunned the Wolverines 20-19 in the Big House on a last-second touchdown pass from Hank Brown to Reece Vander Zee, and the payoff came quickly. ESPN announced that “College GameDay” is headed back to Iowa City for the first time since 2006, and this week’s trip comes with a built-in storyline: Iowa vs. Ohio State.
That return is a full-circle moment for the program. The last time “College GameDay” was on the University of Iowa campus, Iowa hosted Ohio State at Kinnick Stadium on Saturday, September 30, 2006, and the Buckeyes rolled 38-17. Now, 20 years later, the same matchup is back on the same field, only with far bigger stakes.
One person especially happy about the destination is Rece Davis. The longtime ESPN host said on the “College GameDay” podcast that he was pulling for Iowa against Michigan because he wanted the show to land in Iowa City for week five. He also made clear that his support had nothing to do with being an Iowa fan - he simply believed it would be “really good” for the program.
Davis’ reaction fits the moment for Iowa, which has picked up a fresh wave of attention after beating Michigan. It also ends a season-opening run in which the first four “College GameDay” shows were all staged on SEC campuses: LSU, Texas, Ole Miss, and Tennessee. This week, the show shifts to Big Ten country and sets up shop from the Pentacrest in downtown Iowa City.
For Iowa, it’s the first “College GameDay” appearance since the 2021 Cy-Hawk game in Ames and the 10th overall. Ohio State, meanwhile, is set for a record 70th appearance.
The on-field task is a major one. Iowa faces an Ohio State team coming in with renewed focus after its week-two loss to Texas, and the Buckeyes will arrive as heavy favorites. Still, the setup gives Iowa City a national stage, with Kirk Ferentz expected to join the program and the Iowa wave slated as a featured segment.
The Hawkeyes are back in the spotlight, and Saturday’s show will make sure of it.
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 DBs Face Their Biggest Stage Yet At Ohio State
A trip to Ohio State has a way of turning every snap into a test, and for Iowas defensive backs it arrives with a spotlight that can reshape a seasons worth of perception. Deshaun Lee, Tony Diaz and Zach Lutmer are set to be central figures in how the Hawkeyes handle one of the Big Tens most demanding receiving groups, with Jeremiah Smith standing out as the kind of matchup that can expose mistakes and reward discipline in the same breath.
For Iowa, this is about more than surviving the game plan. If those young defensive backs hold up against the Buckeyes, it gives the Hawkeyes a better chance to keep the field manageable for the rest of the defense and stay in position on the offensive side of the ball. If they struggle, the pressure on Iowas whole operation rises quickly, which is why this stage feels bigger than a single Saturday in Columbus. [Read more 🡒]