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Ohio State takes control at Iowa with a 31-14 road win
Julian Sayin and Jeremiah Smith powered the passing game while the Buckeyes limited Iowa to 39 rushing yards.
3 sources / Updated October 5, 2026
Ohio State left Iowa City with a 31-14 win on Saturday, October 3, improving to 4-1 overall and 2-0 in the Big Ten. The Buckeyes outgained Iowa 484-238 at Kinnick Stadium. Their passing game supplied the headline numbers, but the defensive start and control of the second half explain how the road win came together. Ohio State's official recap records the result and team totals.
Julian Sayin finished with 324 passing yards, three touchdown passes and no interceptions. Jeremiah Smith caught 11 passes for 206 yards and two touchdowns. Those totals show how much of the offense ran through the quarterback-receiver connection: Smith accounted for more than half of Ohio State's receiving yardage. That is an observation from this game's box score, rather than a forecast for the rest of the season.
The opening possession gave Ohio State an immediate advantage. Kenyatta Jackson Jr. forced a fumble with a strip sack, Christian Alliegro recovered, and Sayin connected with Devin McCuin for the first touchdown. Iowa stayed within 10-6 after two field goals, before Smith's 12-yard touchdown catch helped put the Buckeyes ahead 17-6 at halftime. Iowa's account also identifies the early turnover as a costly part of the first half.
Smith's 57-yard touchdown reception widened the lead to 24-6 in the third quarter. Ja'Kobi Jackson added a seven-yard rushing touchdown in the fourth. Iowa answered with a touchdown and two-point conversion, but the Buckeyes finished with the ball and a 17-point margin. Ohio State's official statistics list 160 rushing yards against Iowa's 39, alongside a possession advantage of 38:02 to 21:58.
For the next Saturday card, the useful distinction is between winning the game and predicting the details. A team can lead comfortably while a particular passing or rushing threshold still falls short. Saturday's result provides a recent reference point for Ohio State's team performance; it does not settle the Maryland questions before kickoff. The Buckeyes return to Ohio Stadium on October 10. Read the published challenge wording, then make each call before that card locks.