Ryan Day Sends Clear Message on Ohio State's Opportunity vs Iowa

The Ohio State Buckeyes are getting ready for another tough matchup this weekend when they travel to take on the Iowa Hawkeyes.

Both Ohio State and Iowa will be looking to make a statement in this game, especially with it being a Big Ten matchup. The Buckeyes come into the game ranked No. 5 in the country, while the Hawkeyes are the No. 14 ranked team.

Iowa is coming off a massive win on the road against the Michigan Wolverines, giving themselves a ton of confidence coming into this game. But the Buckeyes are still the favored team, and they believe that they will be ready for the environment.

Playing in Iowa is never easy for any team, and the Hawkeyes tend to have strong, physical defenses every year. But for the Buckeyes, they are ready for the challenge ahead of them entering this contest.

Ohio State head coach Ryan Day spoke about the opportunity that his team has entering this game, especially with this being a hostile road environment. With this being a ranked matchup, Day understands that if the Buckeyes can get the victory, it could go a long way in terms of the resume.

Day also pointed out that if Ohio State could grab the win, it could create all sorts of momentum for his team. The Buckeyes want to play the best football that they can every week, with the only goal being to win the championship.

Ohio State is still one of the best teams in the country, even with the tough loss against the Texas Longhorns a few weeks ago. The Buckeyes have bounced back since that defeat, with the offense looking much stronger over the last few games.

Going up against a tough Iowa defense will test the Buckeyes, but this group has confidence at every level of the team. Ohio State will rely heavily on star quarterback Julian Sayin and wide receiver Jeremiah Smith again, hoping to give the Hawkeyes all sorts of problems.

Smith just put together a special performance against Illinois last week, adding to his Heisman Trophy quest this year. Overall, he has caught 33 passes for 617 yards and seven touchdowns, showing pure dominance to kick off the new season.

For the Buckeyes to win, Smith will need to be heavily involved in the offense again. But Iowa's secondary could cause some issues that Illinois wasn't able to generate. 

Ohio State and Iowa will kickoff their game at 12:30 p.m. PT/3:30 p.m. ET this weekend from Kinnick Stadium.