Ohio State is about to find out a lot more about itself.
The Buckeyes head to Kinnick Stadium on Saturday for a meeting with No. 14 Iowa, and that’s a very different kind of test for Julian Sayin than the ones he mostly saw in his first season as the full-time starter.
Besides Michigan, what was the toughest environment he played in last year? Washington?
The point is, there weren’t many. This one will be different.
October is shaping up to be a brutal stretch for Ohio State, with road games at Iowa, Indiana, and USC. That’s a far steeper climb than the Big Ten slate the Buckeyes navigated a year ago, and it starts with a place where football means everything.
Iowa doesn’t have pro teams to split attention. Out there, the Hawkeyes are the show.
And Iowa has earned this stage. The Hawkeyes are 4-0 after handling business against a pair of Power Four opponents, edging Iowa State 16-13 at home and beating Michigan 20-19 on the road. They’ve done it with a team that looks balanced on offense and relentless on defense.
The numbers on offense jump off the page for a program that usually lives on field position and defense. Iowa is averaging 32.8 points and 429 yards per game, split almost evenly between 215.5 rushing yards and 213.5 passing yards. That kind of balance is not what people usually expect from Iowa, but it’s been there through four games.
The defense is still the backbone, though, and that’s where the Hawkeyes can make life miserable. They’re giving up just eight points and 239.8 yards per game. Opponents are averaging only 87.8 rushing yards and 152 passing yards, converting just 27 percent of third downs and picking up just 11.5 first downs per game.
The best part for Iowa is that it doesn’t hand out freebies. That’s the mark of a well-coached team, and Kirk Ferentz has built that identity for a long time.
Quarterback Hank Brown has yet to throw an interception. He’s completing 68 percent of his passes for 700 yards and five touchdowns.
The ground game is the real problem, especially after what Illinois did to Ohio State’s defensive front last week. Iowa has lost only 36 yards on the ground all season, and 11 of those came from Jeremy Hecklinski, who is no longer the starting quarterback. Kamari Moulton has led the way with 284 rushing yards and 7.3 yards per carry on 39 carries.
And he’s not alone. Braeden Jackson, Xavier Williams, and Nathan McNeil have each topped 130 rushing yards, and the three backs have combined for six rushing touchdowns. All three are averaging more than six yards per carry, with Jackson sitting at 9.3.
Iowa has also found playmakers in the passing game. Reece Vander Zee leads the team with two receiving touchdowns, including the game-winner against Michigan. Tony Diaz has 20 catches for 247 yards, and DJ Vonnahme is averaging 11.1 yards per reception.
The Hawkeyes have even made noise on special teams, with two touchdowns there - one on a punt return and one on a kick return.
Defensively, Iowa has produced nine sacks and 18 tackles for loss. Drew Campbell leads the way with 1.5 sacks, Jayden Montgomery has 3.5 tackles for loss, Cam Buffington leads the team with 38 tackles, and Deshaun Lee tops the Hawkeyes with two interceptions.
For Ohio State, the assignment is clear: survive the slog. This game is going to demand patience, toughness, and a willingness to win ugly if that’s what it takes. Iowa will try to make every snap feel like work, and Kinnick won’t make anything easier.
The Buckeyes will need more than Sayin and Jeremiah Smith making plays in space. They’ll need a run game presence. On defense, the front has to shut down Iowa’s rushing attack and force Hank Brown to beat them throwing the ball.
Last week, Illinois let Ohio State play fast and loose for four quarters. That won’t happen here.
This one may get grimy. It may be low-scoring.
It may feel like the Buckeyes are trying to do everything with their non-dominant hand.
If Ohio State goes into Iowa and leaves with a win, it would say plenty about the team’s toughness - and it would back up the idea that the Buckeyes are still the favorite to win the national championship.
In Other News...
Julian Sayin Sends Ohio State Offense A Clear Warning Before Iowa
Julian Sayin left the Illinois game sounding more like a quarterback settling into the bigger picture than one looking for a quick victory lap. He pointed to the offense's steady progress, the value of keeping drives alive with his legs, and the growing comfort level around him as young receivers continue to take on larger roles. Jeremiah Smith has been a central part of that mix, and Sayin also credited the veteran offensive linemen for helping stabilize things up front as the Buckeyes keep building.
The next test comes with another road trip, and Sayin made it clear those spots demand sharper execution and a little more maturity from everyone involved. Iowa is the kind of place where the margin for error can shrink fast, and Ohio State's quarterback knows the offense cannot treat this as a finished product. The message from Sayin was simple enough: the Buckeyes have come a long way, but the real work is still ahead. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State Still Has One Passing Game Issue Jeremiah Smith Cant Solve
Jeremiah Smith has been everything Ohio State could have hoped for in the passing game, and then some. The offensive coordinator, Arthur Smith, pointed to the wideouts exceptional production, with Jeremiah Smith leading the nation in receiving yards and touchdowns, while the Buckeyes continue to lean on him as the centerpiece of the aerial attack.
Still, the passing game has one lingering question beyond its star. Ohio State is trying to establish a reliable second option, with Devin McCuin currently sitting as the teams second-leading receiver, and coaches and players have kept stressing that the offense will need more than one target to keep evolving. The message from inside the program is clear enough: the Buckeyes are pleased with the production they have, but they also know the next layer of consistency has to come from somewhere else. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State Has One Huge Chance To Make A National Statement
Ohio State heads into a rare early measuring-stick game with a chance to leave no doubt about where it stands nationally. The Buckeyes have looked sharp enough to build real momentum, and the next step comes in a difficult road setting where every possession matters and every explosive play carries extra weight.
Jeremiah Smith remains one of the biggest reasons this game has taken on added intrigue, even beyond the team stakes around him. With the matchup set against unbeaten Iowa and its stingy defense at Kinnick Stadium, Ohio State will also be watching how Julian Sayin handles the moment and whether the defense can create the kind of turnovers that turn a good win into something louder. [Read more 🡒]