The Ohio State Buckeyes failed to get a resume-defining win in Austin, Texas, in Week 2. Had they closed out the fourth quarter, they would have had the best win of the season. Instead, that win goes to Texas. However, the Buckeyes did get their best victory of the year over Iowa last weekend.
Ohio State smashed the Hawkeyes 31-14 in a game that wasn't close in the second half. Jeremiah Smith showed that he is the best player in college football. That win was a victory on the road against a ranked opponent. Now, that win looks even better after what happened on Friday.
Iowa destroying Washington helps Ohio State
The Hawkeyes took the Washington Huskies to the woodshed in Seattle on Friday night. They beat Washington 41-24 on the road, showing a display of offense that is not usually their forte. Iowa had Kamari Moulton run for 208 yards, which was the main reason why they crushed the Huskies.
Meanwhile, the Ohio State Buckeyes shut down the Hawkeyes' run game. They only allowed 39 yards on 21 carries in Iowa City. While their backup quarterback played most of the second half, he also played the entire game against Washington and lit them up.
This win gives Ohio State an even more impressive record than they had before. The Hawkeyes might have a chance to finish 10-2 or 11-1 with the schedule they have left. If they finish with that record, they will make the College Football Playoff, further bolstering Ohio State's resume.
Of course, Ohio State has to win the rest of its games to really make this matter. Ohio State can only afford one more loss on the schedule to confirm that it can make the CFP. While they have one of the toughest schedules in the country, there still hasn't been a team that has made the Playoff with three losses.
Ohio State is playing like the best team in the country
Since that collapse against Texas, the Buckeyes have been playing like the best team in the country. Smith has been carrying the offense, and it has been impressive to watch. Defensively, the Buckeyes have done a good job of stopping the run since the Illinois game.
Ohio State will be favored in every other game they play, except for next week. The Indiana game might be the only time that they aren't favored, and that's because the game is on the road. It also depends on how well IU plays against Nebraska, as the Cornhuskers are undefeated.
In that game, the Buckeyes will be looking for revenge for what happened in the Big Ten Championship. Ohio State lost that game 13-10 in large part because they missed a game-tying 29-yard field goal in the fourth quarter. Ohio State still has kicking problems, so that's not ideal.
Connor Hawkins doesn't inspire a ton of confidence based on what he's done so far. The goal is for that game not to be close enough to come down to a field goal. Regardless, the Iowa game helps Ohio State.
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