Eric Boggs
Ohio State fans witnessed a tale of two halves in the Buckeyes’ matchup against Iowa at Ohio Stadium. What started as a tight defensive battle quickly turned into a second-half blowout as the Buckeyes cruised to a 35-7 victory, improving their record to 5-0. The win keeps Ohio State undefeated heading into their highly anticipated showdown with Oregon next week.
After a slow first half, where Ohio State managed just one touchdown—a 14-yard pass from Will Howard to Emeka Egbuka—the offense erupted in the second half. Howard led the charge, accounting for five total touchdowns, including four through the air. Egbuka had a standout game, catching three of those touchdown passes. The Buckeye defense also played lights out, holding Iowa scoreless until late in the fourth quarter when backups were on the field.
The first half showcased defensive grit, with both teams forcing punts and missed opportunities. Ohio State took the lead with a methodical 88-yard drive on its opening possession, capped off by Howard’s touchdown to Egbuka. That would be the only score of the half, as the teams exchanged punts, missed field goals, and turnovers, including a fumble by Jeremiah Smith and a rare interception thrown by Howard right before halftime.
But the Buckeyes quickly turned things around in the third quarter. On the first drive of the half, Howard connected with Smith on a 53-yard pass, setting up a one-handed touchdown grab by the talented freshman. Moments later, Ohio State’s defense added to the momentum when Jack Sawyer strip-sacked Iowa’s Cade McNamara, allowing Cody Simon to recover the fumble. Howard took advantage and punched in a 4-yard rushing touchdown, extending the lead to 21-0.
The Buckeye defense continued to dominate, as Davison Igbinosun grabbed his first career interception on a McNamara pass tipped by Simon. Howard and Egbuka connected again for a 15-yard touchdown to make it 28-0 by the end of the third quarter. Ty Hamilton forced another McNamara fumble early in the fourth quarter, which Kenyatta Jackson Jr. recovered, setting up Egbuka’s third touchdown catch to complete the scoring for the Buckeyes.
Iowa’s lone bright spot came late in the fourth quarter, when Kaleb Johnson broke free for a 28-yard touchdown run against Ohio State’s backups, but it was far too little, too late.
The Buckeyes will now turn their attention to a top-10 showdown in Eugene, Oregon, where both Ohio State and the Ducks will enter with 5-0 records. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. ET, with the game televised on NBC.
