No. 14 Iowa Hosts No. 5 Ohio State in First Top-15 Matchup Since 2006

Iowa and Ohio State are squaring off as top-15 foes for the first time since 2006 on Saturday, when the No. 14 Hawkeyes play host to the No. 5 Buckeyes on CBS. The Big Ten showdown brings a moment of tension for Ohio State, which suffered a 55-24 loss during its last visit to Kinnick Stadium in 2017.

With one loss already, the Buckeyes can ill-afford a stumble as they enter a month that also includes trips to No. 6 Indiana and No. 18 USC. For Iowa, this represents a breakthrough opportunity on the heels of a last-second win at Michigan in Week 4.

That victory propelled Iowa to 4-0 for the first time since 2021, when the Hawkeyes rose all the way to No. 2 in the AP poll on their way to an appearance in the Big Ten Championship Game. Beating the Buckeyes would put Iowa on a similar trajectory and send its playoff chances skyrocketing.

Ohio State won the last two meetings by 28 (2024) and 44 (2022), but there are signs that these Hawkeyes are better equipped to stage a competitive battle as these Big Ten stalwarts square off in Iowa City for the first time in nearly a decade.

Where to watch Ohio State vs. Iowa live

Date: Saturday, Oct. 3 | Time: 3:30 p.m. ET

Location: Kinnick Stadium -- Iowa City, Iowa

TV: CBS | Live stream: CBSSports.com, CBS Sports App

Streaming on Paramount+ Premium

College football picks: Predictions against the spread, odds, betting lines for top 25 games in Week 5

Brandon Marcello

Ohio State vs. Iowa: Need to know

Iowa's offensive punch: Iowa ranks No. 48 nationally in total offense entering this showdown, which is hardly remarkable on the surface. But after ranking 117th or worse in total offense for the past five seasons, it's a marked improvement. The Hawkeyes struggled to run the football against Michigan last week, but quarterback Hank Brown led a game-winning drive capped by a touchdown pass to Reece Vander Zee on the game's final play. Considering the hostility of Michigan Stadium and the quality of the opponent, it was the sort of clutch, late-game execution that would have been unfathomable for the Iowa offense at any point over the past several years.

Ohio State's defensive questions: Ohio State ranks just 27th in total defense through four games, down from finishing the 2025 season at No. 1 in that metric. Considering seven players from last season's defense were selected in the 2026 NFL Draft, it's not shocking that the Buckeyes have dropped off a bit. But the slide came with a cost in a Week 2 loss at Texas, when Ohio State's defense couldn't get off the field over the final 20 minutes as the Longhorns rallied from a 23-3 deficit to win 24-23. Illinois racked up 462 yards and 25 first downs on Ohio State last week. Though the Buckeyes won 42-19, it wasn't a banner day for coordinator Matt Patricia's defense, which comes into this game with some questions to answer.

Jeremiah Smith making history: Ohio State receiver Jeremiah Smith is on a blistering pace with 33 receptions for 617 yards and seven touchdowns through four games. The junior star is one touchdown away from tying Chris Olave for most receiving touchdowns in program history and just five away from matching ex-Michigan star Braylon Edwards for most receiving touchdowns in Big Ten history at 39. Smith is on track to become the first player to ever lead the Big Ten in receiving yards three times. He's also likely to surpass K.J. Hill and Emeka Egbuka for most receptions in Ohio State history in the near future.

Ohio State vs. Iowa prediction, picks

Ohio State's defense is suspect enough that Iowa's offense -- on track to be the program's best in years -- may actually put up some points. However, the Hawkeyes aren't quite as stingy on defense as usual, which means slowing the Buckeyes down enough to keep the game within two touchdowns could be hard. Look for Iowa to make this a competitive game until Ohio State's superior skill talent (see: Jeremiah Smith) creates separation down the stretch. But it's close enough of a call that bettors seeing Ohio State -14.5 should consider the Iowa side. Pick: Ohio State -13.5