Ohio State gets its first real measuring stick since the Texas loss this weekend, and the assignment is a tricky one: a ranked Iowa team at home with College GameDay in town for the first time in 20 years.
The Buckeyes have already shown a sharper edge in the fourth quarter since that Week 2 stumble in Austin. Last week’s blowout of Illinois was the latest example, and it came after Ohio State looked like a different team late against the Fighting Illini than it did against the Longhorns. Now the question is whether those adjustments hold up against a much tougher opponent.
This one will also bring a first for Ohio State’s season. The game kicks off at 3:30 PM ET on CBS, the Buckeyes’ first appearance on the network this year. Fans can also stream it on the CBS Sports App, Paramount+, or Fubo TV.
Oddsmakers still like Ohio State quite a bit. DraftKings has the Buckeyes as 14-point favorites, with the total sitting at 45.5 - the lowest number attached to an Ohio State game this season. That number says plenty about what Iowa brings to the table.
The Hawkeyes are built around defense, and the numbers back it up. They lead the country in points allowed per game at just 8. That’s the challenge waiting for Ohio State: a team that has made a habit of winning with defense and forcing opponents into uncomfortable games.
It’s also the best defense Ohio State has faced since Iowa, which makes this a useful test for the Buckeyes’ recent improvements. But the betting line suggests a full four-quarter battle isn’t what the market expects.
Still, the matchup has enough going for it to feel like a real proving ground. Ohio State has looked dominant against Kent State and Illinois, and those performances were exactly what the program needed after the Texas debacle. Even so, this is the first time since that loss that the Buckeyes are stepping into a game where they’ll have to prove something from start to finish.
Jeremiah Smith remains the player who can tilt things in Ohio State’s favor. The belief here is that he’s too good to be bottled up, even against a strong Iowa defense. Ohio State should be able to move the ball better than most teams have against the Hawkeyes, even if the explosive run game still hasn’t fully arrived.
Iowa has only faced one ranked opponent so far, and that was last week against TTUN. The Hawkeyes needed the final play to escape with that win, which only adds to the sense that this is a defense-first team capable of dragging opponents into a grind.
The pick here is Ohio State, but not by much. The Buckeyes are expected to survive a tight one, 24-17. The concern is still there, though: Ohio State can’t stop the run, and that remains a problem.
In Other News...
Ohio State Defense Faces A Road Test Iowa Can Expose
Ohio State heads into a ranked road matchup at Iowa with the kind of test that can sharpen a defense or expose a flaw. The Buckeyes will have to deal with a difficult environment and an Iowa offense that leans on quarterback Hank Brown, a productive backfield and a defense led by linebacker Cam Buffington and safety Zach Lutmer, while the bigger worry for Ohio State is whether it can hold up against the run and stay sound in coverage against tight ends.
The Hawkeyes have enough moving parts to make this more than a routine Big Ten trip, especially at home where the crowd can turn every series into a grind. Ohio States defensive front will be under pressure to set the tone early, because if Iowa can keep the Buckeyes guessing and force them to chase the game, this matchup could become a lot more uncomfortable than the rankings suggest. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State Defense Isnt In Trouble But One Concern Isnt Going Away
Ohio States defense has spent enough time under the microscope already this fall, and a former Buckeye who has been watching the unit closely sees a group with real room to grow rather than a unit in panic mode. He pointed to the kind of issues that can show up early in a season, including miscommunications and the absence of veteran star power, while still saying defensive coordinator Matt Patricia remains effective in his job. He also gave credit to Illinois quarterback Katin Houser for making the defense work for it.
The bigger takeaway, though, is that the concerns do not appear to be structural in his view. He expects the Buckeyes defense to keep improving and believes it will be good by the end of the season, even if the ceiling may not be quite elite. For a program used to treating every defensive hiccup as a minor crisis, that is a useful reminder that some early-season problems can be real without being fatal. [Read more 🡒]
Ryan Day Sounds Different As Ohio State Heads Into Kinnick
Ryan Day spent part of the week laying out where Ohio State stands as it heads to Kinnick Stadium, and the conversation touched just about every corner of the roster. He gave updates on player availability, pointed to Julian Sayins continued growth, and said the running backs have made progress as the Buckeyes keep sorting out roles for Jeremiah Smith, Khary Wilder and Kyle Parker. It was the kind of check-in that comes with a road game like this, where the details matter and the margin for error tends to shrink.
Kinnick has a way of making even experienced teams feel uneasy, and Day acknowledged the challenge while framing Ohio States current state as a product of steady development since the season began. He also left open a few questions about how the lineup will look once the Buckeyes get through the week, including one involving Legend Bey and how much he can get done in practice before a decision has to be made. [Read more 🡒]