Ohio State’s trip to Iowa looked routine when the schedule came out. After what happened in Week 4, it feels anything but.
Iowa’s 20-19 win over Michigan changed the temperature around Saturday’s game in a hurry, and now the No. 17 Hawkeyes get to host No.
5 Ohio State at Kinnick Stadium in a matchup with real College Football Playoff and Big Ten championship weight. The Buckeyes already have one loss, to Texas, so the margin for error is shrinking fast with No.
6 Indiana, No. 18 USC, No.
15 Oregon, and Michigan still on the schedule.
That’s why Bill Connelly of ESPN has Ohio State on upset alert. Like college football analyst Josh Pate, Connelly believes Jeremiah Smith is too much for Iowa’s defense to handle, but he still sees this as a dangerous spot for the Buckeyes.
The setting matters, too. Iowa is coming in loose, and the last time Ohio State went to Kinnick Stadium, it left with a 55-24 loss in 2017.
Connelly’s read is that this game means more to Ohio State than to Iowa, and the reasons are obvious: the Buckeyes’ loss to Texas and the slate that still waits for them. Even so, Ohio State has looked overwhelming outside of the final 30 minutes in Austin. It followed that up with a 42-19 home win last week, and Saturday offers another chance to make a loud statement.
The spotlight lands on Julian Sayin. If Ohio State is going to keep building toward a title run, it needs him to keep stacking elite performances. Iowa’s defense is ranked in the top 10 and has already posted two shutouts this season, but it also allowed two Michigan receivers to top 100 yards last week.
Sayin threw for 367 yards and four touchdowns in Ohio State’s Week 4 win over Illinois, and another outing like that in Iowa City would send a clear message. For the Buckeyes, his play is the key to unlocking their national championship potential.
Ohio State can’t afford to look past Iowa, and that may be the biggest edge it has this week. The Buckeyes head to a place where they’ve stumbled before, but they won’t have to start thinking about Maryland just yet. Ryan Day and his team get a 2-2 Maryland squad at home next weekend, leaving all attention on Saturday’s test in Iowa City.
In Other News...
Ohio State Has One Huge Chance To Make A National Statement
Ohio State heads into its matchup with Iowa carrying more than just the usual Big Ten weight. The Buckeyes have played well enough to keep the conversation centered on how high their ceiling still is, and this game offers another chance to back that up with a performance that looks every bit like a national contenders. It is also the kind of stage where Jeremiah Smith can keep adding to a fast-growing legacy, with the schools all-time receiving touchdown mark now within reach.
Julian Sayins role looms just as large, because Ohio State will need its passing game to stay sharp if it wants to make the kind of statement that resonates beyond one Saturday. The defense has also been a steady part of the equation, and forcing turnovers would only sharpen the impression this team is trying to leave. For a program measured against the very best every week, the task is simple enough: win convincingly, look complete, and leave no doubt about how serious this team is. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State Is Pushing Early In A Crucial In-State Recruiting Battle
Ohio State is already working ahead on the 2028 class, and the early board is starting to take shape with a mix of local urgency and national reach. The Buckeyes recently extended a scholarship offer to Dion Edwards, a defensive back from Tyner Academy in Chattanooga who is ranked No. 81 nationally, while also lining up an unofficial visit from defensive tackle Jamarcus Johnson, another highly regarded 2028 prospect with multiple offers.
The in-state angle is the one worth watching closely, though, because Cincinnati Princeton running back Jordan Hall has trimmed his list to Ohio State, Missouri and Penn State. A decision is expected by Oct. 23, giving the Buckeyes a clear marker in a recruitment that could matter well beyond one commitment as they keep pressing early in Ohio and try to keep the top local talent from drifting elsewhere. [Read more 🡒]
Nick Saban Just Added Fuel To Ohio State Playoff Hype
Nick Saban added a fresh layer to the Ohio State conversation this week when he appeared on The Pat McAfee Show and sized up the Buckeyes as a team with real playoff credentials. Sabans view was that Ohio State has enough across the board to belong in that elite tier, and he pointed to the balance of the roster even with some defensive concerns still lingering.
The immediate test comes against Iowa, a game that matters not just for the standings but for the Buckeyes standing with the College Football Playoff committee. If Ohio State looks the part in that matchup, the chatter around this team is only going to get louder, especially with Saban already framing them as a group built to make the kind of explosive passing plays that can tilt a season. [Read more 🡒]