Ohio State 2026 opponent breakdown: Week 5, Iowa

The Buckeyes will make their first trip to Iowa City since a blowout loss to Iowa in 2017.

Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz enters his 28th season as the Hawkeyes’ head coach. (Photo courtesy of Iowa athletics)

COLUMBUS — We’re turning up the heat a little bit in our Ohio State 2026 opponent preview as we move to an early October trip to Iowa, the Buckeyes first trip to Kinnick Stadium since a blowout loss there in 2017.

Will the Buckeyes handle Kinnick better this time around in Ryan Day’s first trip there as head coach? How dangerous are the Hawkeyes this year?

Let’s dive into our next opponent preview.

Previous schedule breakdowns

Week 1: Ball State

Week 2: Texas

Week 3: Kent State

Week 4: Illinois

Iowa Hawkeyes

Ohio State opponent No. 5

Oct. 3, time TBA, at Kinnick Stadium

2025 record

9-4, 6-3, sixth in the Big Ten

2025 stats

• 12 out of 136 teams in final SP+ ratings

• 15 in FEI ratings (No. 50 offense, No. 8 defense)

• 35 in adjusted EPA/play (No. 71 offense, No. 21 defense)

• Scored 29.3 ppg (No. 54), allowed 16.1 ppg (8)

History vs. Buckeyes

This will be the 68th meeting between the Buckeyes and Hawkeyes, with Ohio State holding a 49-15-3 edge. This will be only the sixth meeting since 2010. There was a 2020 game that was scrapped when the Big Ten reworked and shortened the schedules during the COVID season.

The Buckeyes have won the last two and seven of the last eight, with the only loss coming in their last trip to Kinnick Stadium, a 55-24 loss in 2017.

That game started with an Iowa pick-six, and J.T. Barrett threw four interceptions. Still, it was 17-17 early in the second quarter before Iowa pulled away for the blowout win. At the time, it was a shocking upset. It came on the heels of a miraculous Ohio State comeback against Penn State. The loss in Iowa City was Ohio State’s second of the season, and it killed any chance of making the College Football Playoff.

Urban Meyer was asked afterward if there was emotional letdown from his team after the Penn State game.

“I didn’t see it,” Meyer said. “I didn’t see the signs. I usually do see the signs, and if I do, I address them and move forward, but I didn’t see them.”

Looking back, Iowa had 11 players on the field that day who would become NFL Draft picks, including three first-rounders (offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs, tight ends T.J. Hockenson and Noah Fant), and three second-rounders (center James Daniels, cornerback Josh Jackson, defensive end A.J. Epenesa). The Buckeyes may have been hungover from the week before. But they also got blitzed by a highly talented Iowa team.

Ohio State has only lost to Iowa twice in 17 meetings since 1992. Both losses happened in Iowa City. There was the 2017 loss, and a 33-7 loss there in 2004. The Buckeyes were held to 27 rushing yards in that game. OSU is 7-2-1 in its last 10 games in Iowa City dating back to 1988.