Ryan Day may say the 2017 loss is gone from his memory, but the matchup at Kinnick Stadium clearly still has his attention.
That’s the game Iowa used to put Ohio State on its heels in a 55-24 rout, a night when Nate Stanley threw for 226 yards and five touchdowns, Akrum Wadley added 118 rushing yards and a score, and the Hawkeyes’ defense piled up four interceptions and a forced fumble. It was the kind of result that sticks, especially for a program like Ohio State, which doesn’t often get pushed around that way. Day was part of Urban Meyer’s staff then as the up-and-coming offensive coordinator, and the Buckeyes left Iowa City with one of the biggest thuds of the Meyer era.
Since that cold November game in 2017, the teams have met only twice, both times in Columbus. Ohio State won both, 89-27 combined, but the Buckeyes are headed back to Kinnick this season, and Day’s recent comments made it clear he knows exactly what that means.
Ryan Day said that he’s completely wiped Ohio State’s 2017 loss to Iowa from his memory. He called Kinnick Stadium one of “the hardest places to play in the conference” and said he looks forward to playing there this season with the Buckeyes.
- Chase Brown (@chaseabrown__) July 29, 2026
On the surface, that sounds like a coach trying to stay even-keeled. But Kinnick has a way of turning polished plans into messy afternoons, and Day’s own words about the stadium only sharpen the focus on this one. He called it one of the toughest road environments in the Big Ten, and with Ohio State expected to be in the mix for the Big Ten and another National Championship, the trip to Iowa stands out on the calendar.
The schedule doesn’t do Iowa many favors either. The Hawkeyes face a brutal three-game run at Michigan, against Ohio State, and at Washington, then close out with rivalry games against Minnesota and Wisconsin. Ohio State’s road is lighter early on, with Texas in Week 2 as its only clearly difficult road test before the Kinnick trip.
That’s part of why this game feels so loaded. Ohio State is likely to arrive as a heavy favorite, possibly even ranked No. 1, but Day knows better than most how dangerous Kinnick can be when a ranked team walks in. He’s one of the most competitive coaches in the sport, and the idea that the 2017 beating doesn’t still linger doesn’t pass the smell test.
If Ohio State handles business on October 3, Day can finally put that Iowa loss farther in the rearview. Until then, the memory of 55-24 is still hanging there, whether he wants to admit it or not.
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