Week 5 of the college football season was a good representation of what the Ohio State Buckeyes want to be in 2026. Ohio State beat Iowa 31-14 on the road for a top-15 win to add to its resume, and it was the Buckeyes’ first ranked win of the season. A tough stretch of games still awaits them in Big Ten play, but this was a strong ramp up for Ohio State. 

Ryan Day’s team was sharp on both sides of the football in Iowa City. Coming out of the win, Day and the Buckeyes also have a decision to make along the offensive line, and it could play a part in shaping how Ohio State looks over the next month.

Ohio State controls Iowa on both sides of the ball

Ohio State held Iowa to 238 total yards. The key was holding the Hawkeyes to just 39 rushing yards. Iowa wants to win by running the football and controlling the game, and the Buckeyes’ defense took that away from the start.

On the flip side, the offense put up 484 total yards, with 324 of those coming through the air. Ohio State moved the ball consistently against a defense that typically doesn’t give up much. That kind of balance is what the Buckeyes are going to need as the schedule gets tougher.

The offensive production is notable given the situation up front. Ohio State had to start a backup along the offensive line for the third straight game. Right guard Gabe VanSickle was inserted into the lineup again, and Austin Siereveld slid over to right tackle.

Starting right tackle Phillip Daniels was out again with an unspecified injury he suffered against Texas. Daniels hasn’t played since the Week 2 game.

Ohio State has to decide on its best five up front going forward

Daniels wasn’t playing his best ball before he was injured. A lot of the chatter at the time centered on whether Ohio State would tweak the lineup and make sure the five players on the field were its best five.

VanSickle has played the last couple of games for the Buckeyes, and he’s had up-and-down moments. He picked up a couple of penalties early in the first half against Iowa. It wasn’t his best game, but he settled in and played better as the game went on. That was a good sign for a player getting meaningful snaps in a hostile road environment.

Day said Daniels would at least be practicing in the week leading up to the Iowa game. Based on those comments, there’s a good chance Daniels returns to the lineup as soon as next week.

That puts Ohio State in a spot where it has to decide if Daniels goes right back into the lineup. The other option is sticking with VanSickle at right guard and Siereveld at right tackle if the coaching staff feels the last couple of games have shown enough for this to be the group going forward.

Ohio State has Maryland up next, and then a big road game against Indiana. That trip to Indiana is going to be a key one. The Buckeyes will have to be sure they’re good to go up front to protect QB Julian Sayin and keep the running game going.

Sayin and the passing game had plenty of success against Iowa. Keeping him upright against a tougher slate is going to be key, and the offensive line will carry a lot of that responsibility.

With Maryland next week, we should have a good idea of what Ohio State wants to do on the right side of the line. Whether it’s Daniels back in his old spot or the group that just helped beat Iowa, it’s a storyline to watch coming out of this win.