Ohio State is being viewed as a heavy favorite to take down Iowa this weekend.
In what should be one of the best matchups from the upcoming slate of games in college football, the Ohio State Buckeyes will be heading on the road for a showdown with the Iowa Hawkeyes.
Ohio State enters the game as the No. 5 team in the country, looking to add to their strong start to the year. Iowa comes in ranked No. 14, looking to upset the Buckeyes to earn another massive Big Ten victory.
The Buckeyes are coming off a dominant win over Illinois, sending them to 3-1 on the new season. The Hawkeyes took down the Michigan Wolverines on the road last week to improve to 4-0 on the year.
Both sides understand the importance of this game and how it could factor into the Big Ten standings down the line, as well as potential College Football Playoff seeding. Ohio State has already dropped a game this season, and this group can't afford another loss.
Entering the game, the Buckeyes are being viewed as the heavy favorites to take home the win this weekend. According to ESPN, Ohio State has an 82.9 percent chance of defeating Iowa on the road in this game.
Historically, the Hawkeyes have had a good defense, and this will be something that the Buckeyes will need to combat in this game. Ohio State's offense has the talent to match up well against Iowa, setting up a strong showdown as the game goes on.
But the big key in this game will be how the Ohio State defense plays against the Hawkeyes' offense. Ohio State has seen its normally strong defense falter a little this year, and it's allowed big plays to happen from opposing teams.
Against Illinois, the Buckeyes surrendered over 400 yards of total offense, but the team only gave up 19 points. Ohio State has undergone a bend, but don't break style of defense this season, and it's something that could play a large role in this game against the Hawkeyes.
Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day has spoken about his team needing to seize this opportunity this week against Iowa, and how it can create momentum for the rest of the year. If Ohio State can earn a big road win against a ranked team like Iowa, it could add even more to the Buckeyes' resume at the end of the year.
Kickoff for this game will take place at 12:30 p.m. PT/3:30 p.m. ET from Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City.
