No. 5 Ohio State is rolling into Iowa City this Saturday for a Big Ten showdown against the No. 14 Hawkeyes, marking the first time these two have met as top-15 teams since way back in 2006. This isn’t just another game, especially for Ohio State, who are looking at a tough road test in Kinnick Stadium, a place where they took a brutal 55-24 loss on their last visit in 2017. With one loss already on the books this season, the Buckeyes can absolutely not afford to stumble again, especially with trips to No. 6 Indiana and No. 18 USC looming later this month.
Ohio State’s Defense Has Major Questions
The biggest shocker for the Buckeyes this season has to be their defense, which is suddenly giving up yards like crazy. They rank just 27th nationally in total defense through four games, a sharp drop from finishing the 2025 season as the No. 1 defense in the country. Sure, seven players from last season’s defense went in the 2026 NFL Draft, so a slight dip was expected. But this slide came with a HUGE cost in a Week 2 loss at Texas, where Ohio State’s defense could not get off the field over the final 20 minutes. The Longhorns rallied from a 23-3 deficit to win 24-23! Last week against Illinois, coordinator Matt Patricia’s defense allowed 462 yards and 25 first downs, even though the Buckeyes still won 42-19. That is not a good look heading into a hostile environment like Kinnick.
Iowa’s Offense Is Shocking Everyone
For Iowa, this game is a massive opportunity, a chance to really break through. They are 4-0 for the first time since 2021, a season that saw them rise to No. 2 in the AP poll and make it to the Big Ten Championship Game. Beating Ohio State would put them on a similar trajectory and send their playoff chances skyrocketing. And get this: Iowa’s offense actually ranks No. 48 nationally in total offense. Now, that is not exactly earth-shattering on its own, but consider this: they ranked 117th or worse in total offense for the past five seasons! This is a marked improvement. While they struggled to run the ball against Michigan last week, quarterback Hank Brown led a game-winning drive, capped by a touchdown pass to Reece Vander Zee on the game’s final play. Clutch late-game execution like that, especially in a hostile place like Michigan Stadium, would have been totally unfathomable for the Iowa offense over the past several years. Ohio State might have won the last two meetings by 28 (2024) and 44 (2022), but these Hawkeyes are looking a whole lot different.
What a showdown this is shaping up to be in Iowa City. Can No. 14 Iowa pull off the upset and send their playoff hopes into overdrive? Or will No. 5 Ohio State get their defensive questions answered and avoid another costly road stumble? Keep an eye on Ohio State’s receiver Jeremiah Smith, who is on an absolute tear with 33 receptions for 617 yards and seven touchdowns. This Saturday is going to be electric!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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