Ohio State’s trip to Iowa didn’t have the same headline pull as the Buckeyes’ showdown with Texas earlier this season, but the TV numbers told a different story. More people watched Ohio State-Iowa than any other college football game on any network in Week 5.
CBS Sports said Tuesday that 5.966 million viewers tuned in for Saturday afternoon’s game, which kicked off just after 3:30 p.m. ET.
The audience climbed to seven million at its peak. In a crowded weekend slate, that made Ohio State’s 31-14 win the most-watched game of the week.
The Buckeyes earned that audience with a strong road performance in Iowa City. Jeremiah Smith and Julian Sayin led the offense, and Ohio State’s defense kept the Hawkeyes in check.
The Scarlet and Gray didn’t run away with it right away, though. An early turnover deep in Iowa territory opened the door for a fast score, but Iowa’s defense stood its ground until Ohio State stretched the margin to 17-6 just before halftime.
Iowa kept pushing after the break, but Ohio State’s talent eventually took over. The Buckeyes scored three touchdowns in the second half to put the game away.
Smith was at the center of it again. The junior wideout caught 11 passes for 206 yards and two touchdowns, setting Ohio State records for receiving touchdowns and receptions. He also strengthened his case as the Buckeyes’ next Heisman Trophy winner.
The Buckeyes still had to share the weekend spotlight with plenty of other games fighting for viewers. Friday brought Pittsburgh at Virginia Tech on ESPN and Northwestern’s stadium opener against Penn State on FOX. Saturday’s early window included Notre Dame-North Carolina on ESPN, Alabama-Mississippi State on ABC, and Minnesota’s upset of Michigan on FOX.
Ohio State-Iowa also went head-to-head with Missouri-Florida on ABC and Tennessee-Auburn on ESPN. Later, Miami visited Clemson on ABC, while Washington and USC played on NBC. Even with all that competition, the Buckeyes drew the biggest audience of the weekend.
In Other News...
Urban Meyer Just Gave Ohio State Fans A New Indiana Debate
Indiana has become one of the more interesting talking points around Ohio States schedule, not just because Curt Cignettis team is off to a 5-0 start and sitting No. 7, but because of how quickly it has climbed into the national conversation. The Hoosiers have clearly made real progress over two seasons, and their rise has forced people around the sport to decide how much credit to give a program that has beaten the teams in front of it while still waiting for the kind of week-to-week grind that defines the Big Ten.
Urban Meyer helped stir that debate by casting doubt on how fully Indianas record should be judged, arguing that games against weaker opponents should not carry the same weight in the evaluation. For Ohio State fans, it is the kind of conversation that always circles back to the same place: whether Indiana is a legitimate threat in the league race, or simply a team whose rsum still needs a bigger test to prove it against the Buckeyes and the rest of the conference elite. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State Homecoming Could Shape A Huge Recruiting Battle
Ohio States homecoming week is bringing more than just the usual buzz around Saturdays game with Maryland. Fresh off a win over Iowa, the Buckeyes are also setting the stage for a major recruiting weekend, with several top 2028 prospects expected on campus as the program keeps pushing to build out a class that already has five verbal commits.
The headliners in the group are five-star defensive linemen Jamarcus Johnson and Kellan Hall, both among the nations most coveted young players and already drawing multiple scholarship offers. For Ohio State, the chance to host that kind of talent during a home game weekend is a reminder that the battle for future recruiting classes starts well before Signing Day, and this one could become a significant early test of how strong the Buckeyes pull really is. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State Finally Gets Its First Look At Prized Freshman Anthony Thompson
Ohio State is about to give fans their first public look at Anthony Thompson, the prized freshman forward whose arrival has been one of the programs most anticipated storylines. A McDonalds All-American and the highest-ranked recruit in the Big Ten for 2026, Thompson has already drawn attention for the kind of ceiling that can reshape a roster, and his first chance to wear a Buckeyes uniform in front of an audience adds another layer of intrigue to the preseason.
The debut comes in the CareSource Invitational exhibition against Cincinnati, a setting that should feel familiar to Thompson as he begins his college career close to home. He has described the matchup as a learning opportunity and said he is excited to play near his hometown, a practical first step for a player expected to carry plenty of long-term significance for Ohio State. [Read more 🡒]