The Buckeyes head to Kinnick Stadium on Saturday with a clear edge on paper, but Iowa is bringing more than just home-field noise. The Hawkeyes come in after a walk-off win over Michigan in the Big House, and that kind of momentum gives this one a little extra bite. Still, Ohio State is staring at the toughest test on its schedule so far, and if it wants to leave Iowa City with a win, it will have to handle a packed stadium and play a clean, complete game.
The first priority is straightforward: stop the run. Illinois just showed Ohio State exactly where the pressure points are, piling up 199 rushing yards last week and doing it without one explosive play changing everything.
The Illini were able to stay on schedule and keep finding answers on the ground, and that gave other teams a pretty good blueprint for attacking the Matt Patricia defense. Ohio State is going to see a lot of that same approach again, so the fix has to come from the middle.
The interior defensive line needs to be better, and the linebackers have to raise their level. If they don’t, this game could tighten up fast.
On the other side of the ball, Ohio State should have chances to win through the air. Iowa’s pass defense may look solid in the numbers, but the tape tells a different story.
That opens the door for Jeremiah Smith and the Buckeyes’ passing game to create separation. It also puts a spotlight on the search for a reliable second option behind Smith.
Devin McCuin has a chance to make his presence felt, and so do the freshmen. If nobody else steps forward, the burden keeps landing on No.
The final key is more about mindset than matchup. Ohio State is the better team, but that only matters if it plays like it.
The danger here is letting Iowa linger long enough to turn the game into something uncomfortable. The Buckeyes have already had to deal with that kind of script before.
The Texas game was one example, and last week against Illinois had a similar feel before Ohio State pulled away late. If the Buckeyes want this one to stay under control, they have to keep their foot on the gas and finish stronger than they have in those earlier close calls.
In Other News...
Ohio State Just Delivered The Kind Of Road Win Fans Needed
Ohio State went into Kinnick Stadium and delivered the sort of response win its fans had been waiting for, beating Iowa 31-14 and handing the Hawkeyes their first loss of the season. The Buckeyes controlled the game on both sides of the ball, piling up 484 total yards while keeping Iowa to 238 and a paltry 39 rushing yards, which made this feel less like a tense road test and more like a statement about the gap between the two teams.
Jeremiah Smith was at the center of it, turning the trip into one of those performances that travels well beyond the box score. He finished with 11 catches for 206 yards and two touchdowns, giving Ohio State a dynamic edge whenever it needed one and helping offset a couple of turnovers forced by the defense. For a team that needed a clean, convincing road result, this was exactly the kind of night it was looking for. [Read more 🡒]
Jeremiah Smith Just Put Ohio State Fans On Notice Again
Jeremiah Smith kept the Buckeyes moving in Iowa City, turning a road test against the Hawkeyes into another showcase for Ohio States passing game. The freshman wideout tied the Ohio State touchdown record while finishing with 11 catches for 206 yards and two scores, a performance that helped push the Buckeyes to a 4-1 start and add another layer to what has already become a must-watch season in Columbus.
Smiths latest breakout only raises the stakes for what comes next, because Ohio State now heads back home to face Maryland with its young star drawing even more attention. For a team that has spent the early part of the season trying to establish its identity, his ability to create production anywhere on the field has become one of the biggest reasons the Buckeyes keep looking like a contender. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State Just Earned The Big Ten Spot Fans Wanted Most
Week 5 brought a clearer picture of the Big Ten race, and Ohio State came out of it looking like the conference team fans expected to see at the top. The Buckeyes handled Iowa in a game that carried more weight than a typical early-season road test, adding a quality win to a rsum that is starting to separate from the pack as the league standings and the national picture begin to take shape.
The rankings around them still have plenty of movement left, with Indiana continuing to push forward, Oregon and UCLA drawing attention for different reasons, and Michigan still trying to sort out its own path. But Ohio States recent momentum is the kind that can hold up as October approaches, especially if the Buckeyes keep matching style points with results in the weeks ahead. [Read more 🡒]