Image via Samantha Madar/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
A week after defeating Michigan State in their first road game of the season, the Ohio State football team will head back home to take on Iowa, their second Big Ten opponent faced and likely toughest test to date. Going into the game, the Buckeyes will be ranked fourth in this week’s A.P. Poll while Iowa lurks just outside the top-25, seeking a season-changing win that would vault them into the playoff conversation.
Iowa Head Coach Kirk Ferentz consistently has the Hawkeyes as one of the funkiest teams in the game, sporting a fantastic defense with a horrendous offense. This year, things aren’t so polarizing but the tradition still stands true. Despite subpar play, Cade McNamara remains the starting quarterback in Iowa City. In his second season with the Hawkeyes, McNamara is a name that Ohio State fans know well, as he played for three seasons at Michigan before heading west. He played in 21 games for the Wolverines and threw 21 touchdowns as well, but is best remembered by Buckeye fans for beating Ohio State at home in the Horseshoe in 2021. While he did get the win, his play was poor, and he was replaced by J.J. McCarthy permanently following an injury in 2022. This season, McNamara still doesn’t look great, throwing for only 588 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions through four games.
While McNamara might not be a national star, running back Kaleb Johnson certainly is. The junior has absolutely burst onto the scene this season and has been the only thing keeping this Iowa offense even close to average. So far, Johnson has 685 yards (second in the country) and nine touchdowns (third in the country), while going for an absurd 8.4 yards per attempt. His efforts have not only kept his team offensively afloat, but has firmly vaulted him into the Heisman Trophy conversation.
In the receiving room, the Hawkeyes are much more unstable. Northwestern transfer wideout Jacob Gill leads the team in receiving yards with just 145 and a touchdown, followed by tight end Luke Lachey who has 97 yards, but will be amongst the first tight ends taken in the upcoming NFL Draft due to his blocking ability.
Defensively, Iowa has some guys that will certainly be in the draft conversation come April. Safeties Sebastian Castro and Xavier Nwankpa highlight the group, and they’ll be absolutely necessary in slowing down this dangerous Buckeye receiving room. Linebacker Jay Higgins and cornerback Jermari Harris are other Hawkeyes who could certainly hear their name called in the spring.
On the Buckeyes’ side of the field, more pressure will be on quarterback Will Howard than ever. After a strong start to the year, he looked shaky last week against Michigan State and now he has one of the best defenses he’ll see all season bearing down on him. If the offensive line continues to improve at the rate that it has been and the skill position players look like they have recently, the onus will be on Howard to prove that he is up to the task.
Speaking of skill position players, it’s safe to say that just about everybody cannot wait to see what freshman wide receiver Jeremiah Smith is going to do next. After a strong first few weeks and a dazzling performance last week on the road, Smith is among the most highly touted youngsters in a generation and a guy that you can’t take your eyes off of. Elsewhere, veterans such as Quinshon Judkins, TreVeyon Henderson and Emeka Egbuka have all looked as strong as expected this year. Look for one or multiple of them to have a big performance if the Buckeyes can take care of business.
This Iowa offense might not be the best unit we’ve ever seen, sure, but Johnson is more than enough to give any defense fits. If the Hawkeyes can somehow pull out a road victory, he’ll be a huge reason why. Therefore, the pressure will be on a linebacker room that has been inconsistent to plug the holes and not let Johnson find any space. Most of that burden will be on middle linebacker and signal-caller Cody Simon, who has started to look more comfortable after missing the start of the season with an injury. Sonny Styles, who starts alongside Simon in Ohio State’s two linebacker alignment will also be vital to the operation. The transition from safety to linebacker that Styles underwent in the offense season has not been without its growing pains, but now is the time to put those aside. Arvell Reese and C.J. Hicks has seen a lot of time in the rotation as well and they’ll be key in their responsibilities.
Another key piece in slowing down Johnson and Co. will be defensive tackle Tyleik Williams, who is a potential first round pick in the draft next year, but has missed the last two games with injury. His presence will be vital in establishing a true stopper in the middle of the line. Elsewhere, Howard took a big hit and was forced out of the game for a drive last week, but he looks to be healthy going into this week’s showdown.
Overall, this is yet another game that Ohio State should win in convincing fashion. They’re at home and frankly just a lot more talented than this Iowa side. Never say never, though, as Iowa did beat the Buckeyes in their second to last meeting in 2017. On the bright side, the last time the Hawkeyes came into Columbus and won on the road was 1991. Only time will tell, but Ohio State should pass this test before their season-altering showdown in a week and a half.
