Iowa linebacker Josey Jewell tackles Ohio State quarterback J.T. Barrett during the Hawkeyes’ game against the Buckeyes on Nov. 4. Credit: Jack Westerheide | Photo Editor
IOWA CITY, Iowa — No. 6 Ohio State never led for a single second against Iowa, as the unranked Hawkeyes more than doubled its average of 25 points per game and scored the most points ever against an Urban Meyer-coached team Saturday.
A week after completing a 15-point fourth-quarter comeback against Penn State that Meyer called the best of his career, Ohio State (7-2, 5-1 Big Ten) could not make up a 21-point third-quarter deficit and fell 55-24 to Iowa (6-3, 3-3 Big Ten) at Kinnick Stadium.
Thousands of gold-and-black-clad fans stormed the field to celebrate the win, which crushed Ohio State’s hopes of reaching the College Football Playoff, just as Buckeye fans had done the week before.
“Obviously turnovers, they controlled the line of scrimmage, we couldn’t stop them,” Meyer said dejectedly. “Good team, tough environment, we didn’t play very well.”
Everything that went right against the Nittany Lions went wrong for Ohio State against the Hawkeyes.
“Coming off an emotional win last week against Penn State, and then walking into a hostile environment that we knew, Kinnick Stadium, it’s got it’s Kinnick Curse or whatever you want to call it,” redshirt center Billy Price said. “We just didn’t come prepared today, we weren’t nine units strong and it resulted with the loss today.”
Quarterback J.T. Barrett thrust himself into Heisman Trophy contention with a 33-for-39, 328-passing yard performance against the Nittany Lions, but toiled against the Hawkeyes, completing 18-of-34 passes for 208 yards and rushing for a team-high 14 carries for 63 yards. His game-opening interception was just his first of career-high four interceptions.
He drove the Buckeyes down the field 80, 74 and 77 yards on the second, third and fourth drives, respectively. But Ohio State picked up just 33 yards on its next seven drives combined.
Leading by 14 points late in the third quarter, Iowa sent its field-goal unit onto the field for what seemed to be a short field goal, but instead delivered a gut punch to Ohio State. Rather than kicking, the Hawkeyes spread the formation out and punter Colten Rastetter hit long snapper Tyler Kluver for an 18-yard gain as Meyer stood beside the side judge and decided not to call a timeout.
On the next play, Quarterback Nate Stanley hit tight end T.J. Hockenson for a 2-yard touchdown, extending the lead to three touchdowns.
The Hawkeyes took advantage of the Buckeyes’ weak secondary as Stanley went 20-of-31 for 226 yards and finished with a season-high five touchdowns. Tight ends Hockenson and Noah Fant led Iowa with five and four catches for 71 and 54 yards, respectively.
“It’s kind of hard to explain [the feeling of the loss],” Lewis said. “Have the feeling of embarrassment, feeling of just… As a leader, I feel like I let a lot of people down.”
Iowa relied heavily on speedy running back Akrum Wadley, who took 20 carries 118 yards. The Hawkeyes averaged 6.4 yards per carry, more than any team has rushed for against Ohio State in a single game this season.
“Nobody expected that, I don’t think, on the defense because we play defense and take pride in stopping the run,” redshirt senior defensive end Tyquan Lewis said.
Though the Hawkeyes entered the game having only scored 20-plus points in half of their eight games, they reached the threshold with 13:41 remaining in the second quarter as the Buckeyes seemed incapable of stopping, or even slowing down the Hawkeyes. Iowa outgained Ohio State 487-371 in total yards and picked up 24 first downs.
“You expect to go into every game and dominate and play like the Silver Bullets,” Lewis said. “Obviously it didn’t turn out that way. We’ve just got to bounce back.”
Ohio State allowed Penn State to score its first touchdown 15 seconds into the game last Saturday. This week, Iowa one-upped the Nittany Lions as sophomore safety Amani Hooker intercepted Barrett’s first pass attempt and ran it back for the game’s opening touchdown, just eight seconds into the game.
Ohio State abandoned its running backs during the majority of the game. J.K. Dobbins and Mike Weber combined for 11 carries and 78 yards.
Sophomore defensive end Nick Bosa was flagged and ejected for targeting for a head-to-head hit on Stanley near the end of the second quarter.
The Buckeyes will be back in action at noon Saturday when they take on No. 24 Michigan State at Ohio Stadium.
