Staff Picks: Buckeyes Host the Hawkeyes

After a successful Big Ten road opener last Saturday night in East Lansing, the Buckeyes return home to face the Iowa Hawkeyes and their formidable defense. Ohio State comes in a 20-point favorite in the Big Ten home opener but this is the toughest test to date.

Will the Buckeyes pass? We’ve got our staff picks for Saturday afternoon’s tilt in Columbus.

Ross Fulton

Ohio State steps up in competition again this week against Iowa (17 in SP+, number 1 in defense). Iowa DC Phil Parker has been running his 4-3, quarters based system for a long time. Iowa will challenge the Buckeyes’ RPO system by mixing up the overhang’s responsibilities to mess with Will Howard’s reads. Parker will also mix in some single high man and zone blitzes.

The key for Ohio State is to create some explosive plays against the Hawkeyes. Defensively, the name of the game is to limit successful runs and get off the field on third down. Look for a lot of 4-3 under against Iowa’s stretch based run game.

Ohio State 32 Iowa 14

Tony Gerdeman

This is a better Iowa offense than last year’s, but it would have been an impossibility for it to be worse. If the Buckeyes win on first down, the Hawkeye offense will have no chance. Iowa is 3-of-15 on third-and-7 or longer this year against Power 4 opponents. They cannot move the ball consistently through the air.

Quarterback Cade McNamara is averaging just over three yards per pass attempt against Power 4 opponents. Running back Kaleb Johnson is very good, but if he doesn’t hit home runs, this offense isn’t going anywhere. Neither of these teams have allowed a rush of 20 yards this season. That factoid might fall for both teams on Saturday.

This is probably going to be a frustrating game to watch for Buckeye fans who are expecting excellence. The thing is, however, that Iowa football is where excellence goes to die. The Buckeyes are clearly the more talented team and the talent and execution will win out, but it will probably take three good quarters for this one to be comfortably over. Assuming you don’t feel that a 14-point lead in the second quarter against an Iowa offense is a comfortable lead.

Ohio State 35 Iowa 10

Marc Givler

This should provide the toughest test yet for Ohio State, especially on the offensive side of the ball. Iowa is going to want to shorten the game and play field position and the Buckeyes are going to have to find the balance between being disciplined enough to not force things but also continuing to try to create the the explosive plays this unit has been creating each week offensively.

While the offense will face a test of patience, the defense will face a test of toughness. Iowa comes in with a strong running game and is always one of the most physical teams in the conference upfront.

The Buckeyes pass and get the win before heading into a Top 10 showdown with Oregon next week.

Ohio State 35 Iowa 13

Kevin Noon

Just as Michigan State was a step up from Marshall, Iowa is a step up from Michigan State, at least in my opinion.

Sure, Iowa can’t throw the ball to save its life, but the Hawkeyes can run it and have proven to be on the stingy side when it comes to points allowed on defense.

It is difficult to win a game when you really are one-sided on offense, barring being a service academy running the triple-option. Cade McNamara has thrown for fewer than 100 yards in two of his four starts and has not thrown a touchdown against a Division I-FBS opponent.

The Buckeyes will have to figure out how to slow down Kaleb Johnson, the talented Iowa running back, but if you know that Iowa can’t throw the ball, load the box and see what comes from that, especially with corners as solid as Ohio State’s.

On the other side, Iowa has a strong defense, has not allowed more than 21 points in a game and can be downright infuriating to go up against.

Ohio State is among the nation’s leaders in scoring and while there is little expectation that the Buckeyes will be able to stay in the upper 40s, just how many points do you need to score to be out of reach of the Hawkeyes? 20? 24? 28?

I see the Buckeyes scoring more than that and I don’t see the Hawkeyes being able to find prolonged success against the Buckeyes. Get in, put up points, and get out, because Oregon is next week. 

Ohio State 35 Iowa 9

Tom Orr

This game is not going to be a lot of fun. Sure, if you’re there, you’ll enjoy a nice fall day in the sun, maybe get to do some tailgating, and get to watch the Buckeyes play. However, you’re also going to get to watch the Iowa Hawkeyes play. While Kirk Ferentz’s teams have been successful over the years, “fun” is not a word that gets thrown around a lot.

Iowa plays football the way the Soviets designed apartment blocks. There isn’t a lot of attention paid to the niceties or the finer details. If this is a game of rock, paper, scissors, Ferentz is going to call rock over and over again, and maybe mix in a paper every once in a while. But not a showy paper. Not card stock or any kind of flashy color like “cream.” Just plain white, thank you very much.

Kaleb Johnson is going to run the ball between the tackles, maybe there will be a few throws to the tight ends, and the defense is going to make everything difficult for you. You’re not going to get to do anything flashy, either. You’re going to work hard for everything you get. Iowa succeeds by making you play Iowa football, too.

If the Buckeye defense can force some early turnovers, everything above could be wrong. When the Iowa offense gets out of its comfort zone, it can turn into the Nedelin catastrophe quickly. Ohio State might be able to jump out to an early lead, force the Hawkeyes to try to throw (which they can’t) and pull away for a comfortable win. If not, get ready for three hours of bread lines and borscht.

Ohio State 31 Iowa 13