The Iowa Hawkeyes had the setting they wanted at Kinnick Stadium. ESPN College GameDay was there, the crowd was ready, and the stage was built for an upset attempt against Ohio State.
But the Buckeyes didn’t blink.
Ohio State walked into Kinnick unfazed and handled Iowa 31-14, even as the Hawkeyes gave themselves some chances in a game where every possession mattered and mistakes carried extra weight.
There were positives for Iowa, and one of the biggest came in a place that usually tells the story of a game like this: the run defense. Ohio State ran the ball 47 times, yet Iowa held the Buckeyes to 3.4 yards per carry. That was a strong effort from the Hawkeyes up front and in the middle of the defense.
The problem was that Ohio State had another gear waiting. The passing game found its target, and Jeremiah Smith was once again the center of everything.
Iowa’s plan was clear: keep Smith from taking over. That didn’t happen.
After putting up 217 yards and four touchdowns last weekend, Smith followed it up with 11 catches for 206 yards and two touchdowns against an Iowa defense that threw everything at him.
Tip of the cap to you, Jeremiah Smith.
Jaylen Watson and Jacob Wallace spent the day in the fire against one of the best receivers in college football, and they didn’t get an easy whistle or an easy assignment. The stat line doesn’t capture everything they did, but they kept coming back for more.
They kept battling. They kept stepping in front of a challenge that never got any smaller.
Iowa also had moments where the game felt there to be grabbed. The chances were real. But penalties, mistakes that don’t usually show up, and negative plays kept knocking the Hawkeyes backward.
Even in the first half, Iowa had openings to make Ohio State uncomfortable and couldn’t quite push through. That leaves the Hawkeyes with a lesson that came at a cost - one they’ll be carrying with them.
In Other News...
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 🡒]
Florida Faces Immediate AP Poll Trouble After Costly Missouri Loss
Missouris win over Florida was one of the weekend results that could ripple through the AP Top 25, and it came at a time when the rankings already had plenty of movement to sort through. Alabamas victory over Mississippi State also factors into the reshuffling, with both games feeding into a Sunday poll that figures to tighten the race for spots near the bottom of the rankings and the first teams outside them.
For Iowa fans, the interest is less about one result than the broader picture of who moves up, who slips back and which teams are hanging onto national relevance by a thread. The AP voters will have to weigh recent form against rsum, and there are enough teams on the edge of the poll to make this weeks release worth watching closely once the official rankings are unveiled. [Read more 🡒]