Game Report: Ohio State Buckeyes 54, Iowa Hawkeyes 10

COLUMBUS, Ohio — A look at Iowa’s 54-10 defeat to Ohio State Saturday at Ohio Stadium.

Turning point

The turning point probably was when this game remained on Iowa’s 2022 schedule. The Hawkeyes weren’t going to win it. The oddsmakers knew it, the public knew it, the Manning brothers knew it, the Kardashian sisters knew it.

But Iowa stayed within shouting distance for almost the entire first half until it took possession at its 13 with 3:33 left, trailing 19-10.

Spencer Petras threw a pass directly into the arms of Ohio State linebacker Tommy Eichenberg, who returned it 15 yards for a touchdown.

All the good work of the Iowa defense in the half — and there was a lot of it — was eclipsed by that terrible throw that symbolized yet another awful offensive performance by the Hawkeyes.

By the numbers

2 — For the second straight time, an interception was the first play of an Iowa-Ohio State game. This time, it was Buckeye safety Tanner McCalister with the first of his two picks. In 2017, it was Iowa’s Amani Hooker with a pick-6 against OSU’s J.T. Barrett.

3 — It was the third time Iowa’s defense outscored its offense. It also happened in wins against South Dakota State and Rutgers.

4 — OSU’s Noah Ruggles made four first-half field goals. He had attempted just three over his team’s first six games.

5 — Joe Evans’ return of the fumble that he caused in the first quarter went for a touchdown. It was Iowa’s fifth defensive score of the year, three touchdowns and two safeties.

6 — Iowa had six turnovers.

8 — This was Ohio State’s eighth straight win over Iowa in Columbus. The last Iowa victory here was in 1991.

10 — OSU’s Marvin Harrison Jr. got his 10th touchdown catch of the season. The Buckeyes have 28 passing TDs. Iowa has two.

28 — The Buckeyes won their 28th-consecutive Big Ten home game, dating to 2015.

54 — Ohio State’s 54 points were the most any team has scored against Iowa since its 56-35 loss here in 1995.

75 — There was a 75-point swing from the last time these teams met, a 55-24 Hawkeye win in Iowa City.

2012 — Iowa has a losing record through seven games for the first time in 10 years.

104,848 — The attendance.

Notebook

* The Hawkeyes had their first quarterback change of the season, one many had called for long before Saturday.

Alex Padilla replaced Petras after halftime. The first snap he took was botched, and Iowa lost the ball. His second possession resulted in Padilla throwing an interception on a pass off Sam LaPorta’s left hand.

Iowa’s offense scored once in the game, on a 49-yard Drew Stevens field goal in the second quarter.

* Iowa led for 4:45 in this game, from the 13-minute mark of the first quarter until Miyan Williams ran 2 yards for a TD with 8:15 left in the period.

That had to have thrown a lot of Fox’s viewers of the game off-balance for a little while. Evans’ blast of OSU quarterback C.J. Stroud and his 11-yard return of the fumble he caused produced a touchdown. Iowa led 7-3. It may be the Hawkeyes’ play of the year.

Ohio State answered with its only long scoring drive of the first half, a 75-yard march that put it back ahead, 10-7. The game was as close as 16-10 midway through the second quarter, and then what was expected became reality.

* Scouts from the Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, New York Giants, New York Jets and Winnipeg Blue Bombers were at the game.

Presumably, the NFL reps were here to observe the quarterback and wide receivers of Ohio State, among other Buckeyes. What interests Winnipeg is a well-kept secret.

Injury report

The Hawkeyes were without cornerback Terry Roberts (leg). It didn’t appear it had any injuries of note Saturday.

Wide receiver Diante Vines made his season debut. Defensive tackle Yahya Black returned to action after missing the last five games.

Next game

Iowa hosts Northwestern this coming Saturday at 2:30 p.m. The Wildcats took a five-game losing streak into their game at Maryland on Saturday afternoon.