2-Minute Drill: Ohio State Buckeyes at Iowa Hawkeyes

Please hold your "no duh" until the end of this. This first part is going to be whatever you want it to be.

The Hawkeyes (5-3, 2-3 Big Ten) aren't mathematically dead in the Big Ten West Division (this isn't the 'no duh' part). For them to stay alive, they have to beat No. 6 Ohio State (7-1, 5-0) Saturday at Kinnick Stadium (2:30 p.m. kickoff on ESPN). And ...

Wisconsin (8-0, 5-0) has to lose at Indiana (3-5, 0-5). A loss would put Iowa four games behind the Badgers with three weeks left in the season.

OK, get it out of your system. Tell us something we didn't know. This team? Division championship? No duh, yes, yes, total long shot, totally improbable.

This part is whatever you want it to be. If you want hope, there it is. Mathematical life in a B1G divisional race going into November isn't a lot to live on, but it's not dead, either. And then on the other hand, it's OK to feel angst over this.

The last time Iowa went into November with a 2-4 Big Ten record was 2007. That season ended with a home defeat to Western Michigan, a 6-6 record and no bowl.

Championship viability is coal stoking the stove. November is that much colder without at least the flicker of hope for something conference championship.

Ohio State rush defense vs. Iowa rush offense

Ohio State is ranked 10th in the nation in rush defense, allowing just 107.3 yards per game. In Big Ten play? Cover your eyes. The Buckeyes have allowed opponents just 63.8 rushing yards per game. In October, it's been 61.7 yards.

OSU has 13 D-linemen in position to letter this season and six players have started at least five games.

Tackles Dremont Jones (6-3, 295) and Tracy Sprinkle (6-3, 293) are solid. Linebackers Jerome Baker (4.5 tackles for loss) and Chris Worley (3.0 tackles for loss) also are fine. What about Nick Bosa (6-4, 270)? The true sophomore has started in both end spots and a tackle. He leads OSU with 10.0 tackles for loss. The Buckeyes are second in the nation with 8.9 tackles for loss per game.

The Hawkeyes rushed for 125 last week against Minnesota. For Iowa Saturday, three yards a carry would be good. It might be a stretch, but that's a number it can live off if the passing game is on.

But really, the call is coming from inside the house. Get out.

Advantage: Ohio State

Ohio State pass defense vs. Iowa pass offense

The numbers look favorable here for Iowa. The Buckeyes don't dominate the world in pass defense. Yes, it's still Ohio State and it's the No. 3 team in the country. The armadillo is fully plated. OSU is eighth in the league in pass defense, allowing 195.3 yards per game.

What makes the Buckeyes tough to throw against is cornerback Denzel Ward (5-11, 191) and a tremendous pass rush. The Buckeyes call their four fabulous defensive ends — Bosa, Tyquan Lewis (reigning B1G D-lineman of the year, by the way), Sam Hubbard and Jalyn Holmes — the 'Rushmen.' Yes, they 'only' have 20.0 sacks, but what comes with sacks? QB hurries and hits. No one tracks those. There are probably a lot.

In some way, shape or form, Iowa has to be high functioning here. It can't afford to wait for the running game to work. The question is can Iowa's receivers and TEs get quick separation to fuel a short-passing game? Can Iowa afford to take the three- and five-step drops or even play-action rollouts against that pass rush, especially with freshmen offensive tackles Tristan Wirfs and Alaric Jackson?

Advantage: Ohio State

Ohio State rush offense vs. Iowa rush defense

Ohio State returned four starters — center Billy Price, left tackle Jamarco Jones, guard Michael Jordan and right tackle Isaiah Prince — from last season and they've stayed healthy. Guard Branden Bowen suffered a broken leg and was lost for the season. Demetrius Knox replaced him and OSU is second in the B1G with 244.4 yards per game. Stat that pretty much says it all: OSU running backs have lost just 14 yards this season on 212 rushes.

True freshman J.K. Dobbins (5-10, 208) is second in the league in rushing (107.9 yards a game). He's averaged 7.6 yards on 113 carries. His average rush is almost a first down.

Iowa linebacker Josey Jewell returned to the lineup last week and the Hawkeyes held Minnesota to its worst offensive output of the season (281 yards). Jewell still is feeling the effects of the shoulder injury he suffered Oct. 7 vs. Illinois, but he's in Karate Kid mode and that's a trance that compartmentalizes the injury.

In the last two seasons, the Hawkeyes committed to playing more defensive linemen. Last year, it was six. This year, Iowa has played as many as nine. It's paid off. This group is fresh and playing its best football of the season. Against Minnesota, Iowa's DL collected 3.0 sacks and two other tackles for loss.

Advantage: Ohio State

Ohio State pass offense vs. Iowa pass defense

The job OSU first-year offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson has done with quarterback J.T. Barrett this season has been noteworthy. After a lackluster performance in a home loss to Oklahoma (54 percent completions, 183 yards and a pick), Buckeye fans took down the Barrett statue. After last Saturday's comeback victory over Penn State, Columbus might change its name to J.T. Barrett.

The senior completed 33 of 36 passes, including 13 of 13 in the fourth quarter for 170 yards and three TDs. By the way, this was against Penn State. Barrett helped erase an 18-point deficit against what was the nation's No. 1 scoring defense and No. 7 pass defense.

Barrett has 25 TD passes to just one interception. Whoever that guy was, bronze that football.

Ohio State has receivers, too. Parris Campbell leads OSU with 410 receiving yards on 29 receptions. K.J. Hill leads OSU with 40 receptions.

Hey, Iowa has a national leader, too. It's junior cornerback Josh Jackson. He leads the nation in passes defended (17) and pass breakups (15). Iowa's secondary has needed every bit of Jackson. In eight games, Iowa has started six different combos in the secondary. Junior safety Brandon Snyder sprained his surgically repaired left knee and remains out of the lineup.

Advantage: Ohio State

Special teams

Penn State star Saquon Barkley got the Buckeyes' attention last week when he returned the opening kickoff 97 yards for a touchdown. In Columbus, this calls for a full review. Peoples' jobs are on the line. Heads will roll. That type of drill.

Ohio State's special teams had the last laugh. Corner Denzel Ward blocked a punt with around 12 minutes left in the game and helped set the stage for the first league of a three-TD fourth quarter.

The Buckeyes' kick coverage has been fine in B1G games, sitting fourth in the league at 19.1 per return. The Hawkeyes are No. 3 with 17.6 per return.

Kicker Sean Nuernberger is 25 of 35 in his career on field goals. He also owns the Big Ten record for consecutive extra points with 151 and counting.

OSU is 11th nationally in net punting with 41.8 per punt. Ohio State is the only school in the country to not allow a punt return this year.

These numbers are real and absolutely reflect a program dead set on the College Football Playoff.

Advantage: Ohio State

Intangibles

1. Everyone vs. Iowa — Pride is the spine of the Iowa program. When the Hawkeyes sink their butt, they're hard to move. The practical matters of this game say no, scream no. Stubborn cusses don't listen to the noise. This is all that leathery language of rah-rah, yes, but the one thing Iowa controls going into this is Iowa's attitude. Everyone vs. Iowa, that's a T-shirt somewhere.

2. Trap game — If everyone says it's a trap game, it's not a trap game. But, yes, Ohio State had a mega faceoff last week with Penn State and Mark 'Darth' Dantonio and Michigan State are on deck next week. Trap games aren't really a thing until after the fact, but this fits the definition.

3. 'Make it a fight' — That was Iowa running back Akrum Wadley's thought on this task. This sort of fits the 'everyone vs. Iowa' thingie, but there's not a lot to work with here. The Jello is setting on this season. Ohio State is here and Iowa is here. Those 'heres' aren't the same spot in the standings. Make it a fight.

Ohio State-Iowa prediction

Ohio State will win if ... it can manage any sticky situation that comes up. This is a top-five opponent in Kinnick Stadium. Recent history says there will be some sort of adversity for the Buckeyes. Michigan didn't handle it last year. Penn State barely did this year. Let's see if Iowa can make it at all sticky for OSU.

Iowa will win if ... it can make it a fight. Let's not put any numbers on this. Attitude matters more than numbers, at least until halftime.

Prediction: No. 6 Ohio State 40, Iowa 17

l Comments: (319) 398-8256; marc.morehouse@thegazette.com