Is this the biggest game at Kinnick Stadium since 2006? 1985? The crowd is certainly going to have to play an impact if Iowa wants to upset Ohio State.
2006 is only 20 years ago, but considering everything that has happened in the world since then, it may feel like a lifetime ago to some people.
If you're an Iowa Hawkeye fan, the year 2006 is significant for one reason - it featured one of the biggest games in Iowa football history up to that point. Just two years removed from a co-Big Ten championship with up-and-coming quarterback Drew Tate, Tate led his 13th-ranked Hawkeyes into a highly-anticipated showdown against No. 1 Ohio State at Kinnick Stadium.
Iowa lost the game, 38-17, but the game still comes up in discussion points because of the massive pregame buildup. There haven't been many Hawkeye home games with such anticipation since, but it may be safe to say that Saturday's clash between No. 14 Iowa (4-0) and No. 5 Ohio State (3-1) at Kinnick is one them. All of you know why.
We'll have tons of pregame coverage to come, but before we get to that, it's time to share our three and a half thoughts ahead of this monumental matchup
Jeremiah Smith Will Be A Problem
The most logical place to start here is Jeremiah Smith. Even the most casual college football fans have heard of Smith and that's simply because he may just be the best player in the sport right now. He's shattered nearly every Ohio State receiving record and coming off one of the best performances you'll see a wide receiver have - 12 catches for 217 yards and four touchdowns in a 42-19 win over Illinois last weekend.
Phil Parker is one of the most brilliant defensive minds in college football, but I can't imagine the headache he must have right now trying to come up with a defensive game plan for Smith.
Julian Sayin Is Pretty Good, Too
If Iowa somehow slows Smith down, it really can't relax because the Buckeyes simply have playmakers all over the field. The reason why that happens is because Ohio State usually gets excellent quarterback play from Julian Sayin. The third-year was a Heisman Trophy finalist last year and there's no reason to believe that can't be the case again in 2026. He's thrown for 300+ yards in two games this year, including a 367-yard outing against Illinois.
Getting pressure on Sayin will be a must.
Can Iowa Manage The Hype?
We'll talk about the massive pregame buildup this game is going to have in just a bit, but one important question has to be asked in the interim: can Iowa live up to the hype on a national stage. The Hawkeyes were oh-so-close to securing marquee home wins over Indiana and Oregon last season, but this is a much different team.
Iowa continued to fight against Michigan when it looked like it had no chance, and that's a really could trait to have for a game like this. Hawkeye fans are obviously hoping for a victory on Saturday, but first and foremost, they want to see their team compete hard against a national title favorite.
Will Iowa play another hard-fought war for 60 minutes? Or will it get sucked into the hype and fall flat? We'll soon find out.
The Half
I almost considered making this one of my initial three thoughts, but I can't even begin to imagine what kind of an atmosphere it's going to be at Kinnick Stadium on Saturday.
Biggest home game since ...... 2021 against Penn State? The 2006 clash with the Buckeyes? The epic No. 1 vs. No. 2 showdown against Michigan in 1985? If you though the decibel levels were insane for the Penn State game five years ago, they might be even higher on Saturday.
This crowd is thirsty for blood, and it could prove to be a very crucial aspect of this game in the fourth quarter.
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HawkeyeRoundtable publisher Brad Schultz has covered the Iowa Hawkeyes since 2023. To send him story ideas, scoops, or criticize his writing, reach him at [email protected]
