Ohio State vs. Iowa Matchup: Insights & Predictions

Let's go take a little sneak peek over to Iowa. And I mentioned there, Tim, seven and three Ohio State is. They've only played 10 times since 2003. I was fortunate enough to be part of one of the beat downs over there in 2004. I think we're one and three in Iowa, or one and maybe two and three in our last five trips. It's not a great number, especially with that 2017 beat down. Much different Iowa team, but they do the same things. Obviously, it's a different Ohio State team. Ryan Day, one of the few people on staff who has been to Iowa for a game. Very unique environment. This number has crept up on Ohio State. It was under two touchdowns. I'm seeing above two now. Point totals sitting there at about, staying around the same, around 45. Thoughts on this bad boy? Yeah, so I was really hoping that Ryan Day would bring up the 2017 game and kinda, you know, we all know that coaches find any morsel of things to make motivation. I was hoping that he would, and maybe he is. You guys would know better than me. Maybe he's keeping it close to the vest and reminding the guys. I don't know. Is the facility playing the 2017 game on loop? Just to remind them of what is possible at Kinnick Stadium. You know, when I look at this game, I know the atmosphere's gonna be amazing. Game day's there for the first time in two decades when it was there for an Ohio State-Iowa game, an Ohio State victory, and I believe cover in that spot. So yeah, you're looking at a big number here. You know, a year ago, Iowa was right there with Indiana, man. And if not for a mistake late in that game, Iowa might have pulled off the outright upset against Indiana. So we know that this is a challenging place to play. I just, I look at this Iowa team, guys, and I have a hard time envisioning how they score. And I know Illinois had success last week, which maybe makes me a little bit nervous regarding the defense here. But I look at this Iowa team, and this isn't a knock-on on what Ferentz is doing. He is obviously, you know, each and every time they go out there, you know it's gonna be a grinder. They're probably gonna make a special team's play. They'll get a turnover. But let's look at their two biggest games so far this year. They were a two-touchdown favorite against Iowa State and won by three with a game-winning field goal. And then you look at last week, and they get the victory, not taking it away. It was kind of sweet justice that Michigan loses on a final play of the game the way that they did based off of the season opener against Western Michigan. But I look at this Iowa team, maybe flirting with disaster a little bit here. So once again, I go back to my original altar of I don't necessarily lay points on the road here, but I just have a hard time envisioning how Iowa has sustained success offensively. So I think maybe, you know, Iowa team total under would probably be a look for me, but I have not bet this game yet because I wanted to make the case for Iowa. I really did, but I just can't get there. I think there will be a part of Ryan Day that remembers what happened in 2017, and they'll be fired up and ready to go for this one. I think a big time factor for Iowa winning would be on the defensive side. How do you see D.C. Phil Parker dealing with Jeremiah Smith? Because he absolutely torched them last year. And then this last game, he just got another D.C. fired. Like, do you think he's really gonna lay it all on the line? Like, we are gonna stop him from getting two touchdowns, 150 yards, and then just kind of hope that some of these other guys are the guys that make plays. Is it even possible, though? Like, honestly, I'm asking the guy, I don't know. Like, you guys have played at elite levels. I have not. I've sat on the couch and watched a lot of college football. I don't know how you stop Jeremiah Smith, you know? It's funny, I think back to the national title in 2024, when they needed a play, even when he was a freshman, they're like, we gotta throw at the four. And they did, and they won the game against Notre Dame. So I just feel like right now, I'm looking at this Jeremiah Smith, I'm like, this guy looks unstoppable. And they're just gonna keep going to him. And that's what's kind of fascinating, not to go into a tangent, but I think about Cam Coleman and the discussion preseason about who's, not that Cam Coleman was in the discussion to be better than Jeremiah Smith. It was like, this guy's 1B to Jeremiah Smith's 1A. And once again, Tennessee's very good defensive team, but the fact that he had one catch for 30 yards, there's no way outside of injury that Jeremiah Smith would ever have a game with one catch for 30 yards. Like, they know he's a cheat code right now. Him and Malachi Toney are just so special in that regard. So I don't know. Phil Parker's a very good defensive coordinator, as we all know. I'm sure he's probably had some sleepless nights this week, trying to figure out if there's a way to potentially slow down four.