Ohio State has already cleared one Big Ten hurdle, but the trip to Iowa feels different. After beating Illinois to open conference play, the Buckeyes are heading straight into a top-15 matchup with the Hawkeyes, and this one should tell a lot more about who they really are.
The early signs this season have been mixed, even with Ohio State opening 2026 as the preseason No. 1 team in the AP Poll. The Buckeyes brought back plenty of talent from a strong 2025 team, but the margin for error has not looked nearly as wide as expected.
The biggest question mark sits on defense. Ohio State lost seven key defenders in the 2026 NFL Draft, and the new version of that unit has already shown some cracks. Texas exposed some of them in Week 2 by rallying from 20 down in the fourth quarter, and Illinois found some soft spots as well, especially in zone coverage.
Now comes a different kind of challenge. Iowa arrives at 4-0 and has built its start on defense, allowing just 32 points across four games while posting two shutouts. That sets up a major test for an Ohio State offense that has been productive but is now stepping into a game where space will be harder to find.
The Buckeyes have scored 181 points in their first four games, so the firepower is there. But Iowa football has long been associated with defense, and that identity is still very much alive in 2026. How well Ohio State protects Julian Sayin and gives him time to work the outside will be one of the biggest things to watch.
The offensive line is under the microscope too. It has dealt with some early struggles and is also managing injuries, which only adds to the pressure in a game like this.
Ryan Day’s approach will matter here as well. The way he handles this matchup will say something about whether he can keep the kind of success he has had since taking over for Urban Meyer more than seven years ago.
And the schedule only gets tougher from here. Ohio State still has four more opponents ranked in the AP Top 25 on the Big Ten slate, with Iowa included in that group, and just one of those games will be at home when Oregon comes to Columbus on Nov. 7.
For the Buckeyes, this is the first true Big Ten test of 2026. It is the kind of game that should reveal just how good this team really is.
In Other News...
Ohio State Freshman Legend Bey May Have A Bigger Problem Than Playing Time
Legend Beys first season at Ohio State has already been shaped by interruption, and not just because of the usual freshman learning curve. After an earlier suspension and an ankle injury, the running back has been working from behind for playing time, and his role has stayed limited as the Buckeyes have moved through the season. Even in areas where young players can sometimes find a foothold, his path has been narrow.
The latest sign came against Illinois, when Bey did not play and another player handled his kick-return work instead. For a freshman trying to earn more than a spot in the rotation, that kind of move can say plenty about where he stands with the staff. If the concerns run deeper than health or depth-chart traffic, it could become a bigger issue for Bey as he looks to settle his future in Columbus. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio States Future Talent Pipeline Is Starting To Look Different
Ohio States recruiting machine is still humming, but the shape of the pipeline is starting to change. The Buckeyes already hold 19 verbal commitments in the 2027 class, a group that includes six national top 100 players and the countrys No. 1 overall prospect, DJ Jacobs, giving the staff another chance to load up early with high-end talent.
The next wave looks just as promising, if a little different in how it is forming. Ohio State has five commitments in the 2028 class, four of them top 100 prospects, led by quarterback Christopher Vargas at No. 4 nationally, and even the 2029 class already has a foothold with wide receiver Austin Miller, ranked No. 50. For a program that has long built its roster on blue-chip talent, the real question is how this early momentum will translate when the class rankings and the pressure both start to rise. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State Has A Growing Running Back Problem Behind Ja'Kobi Jackson
Ohio State got the win over Illinois in Week 4, but the running back room left Ryan Day with a lot to sort through. The group finished with 122 rushing yards, and Ja'Kobi Jackson accounted for the best of it with 56 yards and a touchdown, giving the Buckeyes a steadier presence than they got from the rest of the rotation.
What followed was more revealing than the box score. Day publicly singled out sophomores Bo Jackson and Isaiah West, questioning their effort when compared with Ja'Kobi Jackson, and the backdrop here is not just one uneven afternoon but a position group dealing with injuries and inconsistent play. For Ohio State, the bigger concern is whether there is a reliable answer behind Ja'Kobi Jackson, because right now the depth chart looks far less settled than a contender would prefer. [Read more 🡒]