The Ohio State Buckeyes have a tough game on tap this weekend against No. 14 Iowa in what will be a top 15 Big Ten battle. Ohio State brings a 3-1 record with a loss to Texas into Iowa City for the Buckeyes’ second Big Ten game of the 2026 season. The Hawkeyes are a perfect 4-0 and riding high after an impressive late win over the Michigan Wolverines catapulted them into the top 15.

Ohio State’s last trip to Kinnick Stadium was a disaster

The last time Ohio State traveled to Kinnick Stadium was on Nov. 4, 2017, and it was an unexpected blowout loss for the Buckeyes. Iowa trounced Ohio State 55-24 that day, with the Buckeyes trailing 31-17 at halftime before things completely fell apart in the second half.

That was an Urban Meyer-led team, and quite honestly, some of those Meyer-led teams had a reputation for playing down to the opponent. Iowa was a three-loss team at that point in the season, making the loss a tough pill to swallow for Ohio State.

This time around, there’s no reason to underestimate Iowa. The Hawkeyes are playing their normal brand of ball, and they’re going to be a tough out for the Buckeyes heading into Saturday’s game.

Ryan Day knows what’s coming at Iowa

Ohio State coach Ryan Day kept it honest about what is ahead for the Buckeyes with this road test. 

“It’s a very difficult place to play,” Day said. “You just see teams who go in there, and like you said, first off, you got just the environment in general. It’s a loud environment, so we got to be able to handle that part of it. But this is a big opportunity for our team, I think, to go into a tough road environment against a very good team and go get a win. That certainly would build a lot of momentum for our season as we move forward. So this is a huge week for us.”

Ohio State needs this ranked win over the Hawkeyes. It would be the Buckeyes’ first of the season after falling to Texas in Week 2, and the road ahead doesn’t get any easier.

The schedule is about to get demanding for the Buckeyes

On Oct. 17, Ohio State will travel to Indiana for a tough battle against the Hoosiers. Two weeks later, the Buckeyes are on the road at USC. The following week to start November, they’ll play Oregon at home.

The Buckeyes are getting into the thick of the 2026 schedule, and this Iowa game cannot be overlooked. Even with a 13.5-point spread, this should be a close game where Ohio State has to win it in the fourth quarter. If the Buckeyes can pull it out in a tough environment, they’ll be better off for it as the schedule ramps up.