After the Ohio State Buckeyes lost in Week 2 at Texas, they made some adjustments to be better late in games. This weekend will be the first time that they truly get to test those adjustments. Last week against Illinois was a blowout thanks to a strong fourth quarter, which was lacking against the Longhorns.
Of course, Texas is a much harder opponent to face than the Fighting Illini are. So is Iowa, which is who the Buckeyes take on this weekend. College GameDay will be there for the game, marking the first time in 20 years they have been there. The last time they were there, the Buckeyes beat the Hawkeyes.
How to watch the Buckeyes take on the Hawkeyes
The easiest way to watch Ohio State take on Iowa is to tune into CBS at 3:30 PM ET. It is the first time that the Buckeyes will be playing a game on that network this year. It will also be available on the CBS Sports App as well as Paramount+. The game can also be streamed live on Fubo TV.
Despite the fact that Iowa is a ranked opponent and will be playing the Buckeyes at home, they are still underdogs. According to DraftKings, Ohio State is a 14-point favorite. The total is also set at 45.5, which is the lowest total for an Ohio State football game this season.
A big reason for that is the fact that Iowa has a good defense. In fact, they lead the country in points allowed per game, allowing opponents to score just 8 per game. The Hawkeyes are really leaning into the fact that they are winning games with their defense, and Ohio State has to contend with that.
The Hawkeyes will have the best defense that Ohio State has seen since Iowa, so this will be the first chance to see if the adjustments that they have made were the right ones. However, it doesn't seem that the oddsmakers believe they will need to deal with a four-quarter game.
Early predictions for Ohio State vs. Iowa
The last couple of performances for the Ohio State Buckeyes have been impressive. The dismantling of both Kent State and Illinois was what they needed after the debacle against the Longhorns. Still, this will be the first time they are truly tested since that Week 2 loss.
Jeremiah Smith is too good to be stopped, even by a really good Iowa defense. I believe that Ohio State's offense will be able to move the ball in a way that other teams haven't. The Hawkeyes have only played one ranked team so far, and it was last week against TTUN. They needed the last play to win that game, too.
Even if Ohio State still can't get explosive runs, they have been able to run for a solid yardage per carry. I expect the Buckeyes to win this game, but it will be a one-possession game. Give me the Buckeyes by a score of 24-17. Ohio State can't stop the run, and that's concerning.
Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
Add us as a preferred source on Google