The Iowa Hawkeyes come into Ohio Stadium this year with another vaunted defense. Will they challenge the #3 Buckeyes? Let's look back and see "What Happened Before."
- The Buckeyes and Hawkeyes have played 66 times since 1922 (in 1943 Iowa was Iowa Pre-Flight), with the Buckeyes leading the series 48-15-3 and an average score of 27-15.
- Buckeye's record when both teams are ranked (15-3). When just OSU is ranked (18-4). When just Iowa is ranked (1-2). When neither are ranked (starting in 1936) (10-3-2).
- When OSU is top 3 (9-2). When both top 3 (1-1). No games when just Iowa was top 3.
- Most points by OSU (83) in 1950 (83-21). Widest margin of victory by OSU (62) in the same game.
- Most points by Iowa (55) in 2017 (55-24). Largest margin of victory (31) in the same game.
- Longest win streak OSU (16 games, 1963-1983). Longest win streak Iowa ( 2 games, 2X, 1922-23 and 1959-60.
- Since TCUN became the final game for OSU in 1935, Iowa has been the game before 19 times (16 between 1935-1988).
THE GOOD
1985: The #8 and 6-1 Buckeyes hosted the #1 ranked and undefeated (7-0) Iowa Hawkeyes on a wet November afternoon. Iowa was led by Heisman Trophy front runner Chuck Long at quarterback and All B1G running back Ronnie Harmon. The Buckeyes were without pre-season Heisman favorite RB Keith Byars who missed much of the season with a broken bone in his foot. In his place were freshman tailback Vince Workman and junior John Wooldridge. Jim Karsatos was the quarterback and the wideouts were Cris Carted and Mike Lanese. Iowa had been ranked #1 for the previous 5 weeks.
- After a FG and a Sonny Gordon blocked Iowa punt through the end zone for a safety, the Buckeye's William White intercepts a Chuck Long pass, setting up John Wooldridge's 57 yard blast up the gut for a 15-0 Buckeye lead. Iowa scores before the half and they go to intermission 15-7.
- After a scoreless 3rd quarter, Iowa coughs up the wet ball on their own 31. The Buckeyes recover, and with FB George Cooper carrying the load, the Bucks pound it into the end zone for a 22-7 lead as the heavens open and the rain pours down soaking the 90,000 plus screaming fans.
- Iowa scores with 8:19 to play but misses the two point conversion. 22-13 Bucks. The Buckeyes have to punt, and Iowa drives, but the fired up Buckeye defense holds Iowa to a field goal attempt. Wide left! Buckeyes hold!
- Ohio State has to punt it away at the 1:37 mark. Iowa has one last shot. Long throws over the middle but it is intercepted by Spielman at midfield. GAME OVER! The Buckeyes harassed Long all day and intercepted him 4 times (2 by LB Chris Spielman). The Buckeyes had beaten the #1 ranked Hawkeyes 22-13!
1990: With the Buckeyes trailing 26-21 in Iowa City with 59 seconds to go and no timeouts and the ball on the Hawkeye 48, Greg Frye orchestrated an amazing 5 play drive culminating with a 2 yard pass from Frye to a diving Bobby Olive in the back of the end zone. BUCKS WIN! 27-26! Iowa had led 26-14 with 11 minutes to go before the Buckeyes blocked an Iowa punt at the Iowa 24. Frye then hit Olive with a 21 yard TD pass with 6:30 to play, setting up the final drama.
1995: After an Iowa three and out to open the game, The Buckeye offense scored on 7 of their next 8 possessions, with a Shawn Springs pick six sprinkled in, to take a 56-0 lead. Iowa mustered a score before the half but OSU led 56-7. None of the Ohio State starters saw the field in the second half and the Buckeyes coasted to a 56-35 victory.
2009: After a back and forth game, the 10th ranked Buckeyes beat the 15th ranked Hawkeyes in overtime, 27-24. The Buckeyes scored with 11:11 tp play in the game to go up 24-10, but the Hawkeyes returned the ensuing kickoff 99 yards to pull within a touchdown. In the overtime the Buckeye defense intercepted a last gasp Iowa 4th and 26 pass in the endzone, and then kicked a 39 yard FG to win their 5th straight B1G title and a birth in the Rose Bowl.
THE BAD:
1987: In Earle Bruce's final season, the Iowa Hawkeyes (7-3) came to town to meet the (5-3-1) Ohio State Buckeyes, on the Saturday before the rivalry game. The Buckeyes were already struggling, having lost the two previous games. After a back and forth game, the Buckeyes scored a touchdown with 2:25 to play, after a 75 yard drive. They failed on the two point try. The Hawkeyes returned the kickoff to their own 35 and started the critical drive. After driving down the field, and converting a 4th and 3, the Buckeye defense stiffened. After an Eric Kumerow sack, the Hawkeyes have a 4th and 23 from the OSU 28. But Chuck Hartlieb hit TE Marv Cook at the 9 yard line and he turned and ran it into the end zone. After the extra point, Iowa had won it, 29-27, thus sealing Earle Bruce's fate. He was fired two days later.
THE UGLY:
2004: This was a day the Buckeyes should have stayed in the locker room. Who knows, maybe they did. The 3-2 and surprisingly still ranked 25th Buckeyes hobbled in to Iowa City on a two game losing streak to face the also 3-2 Hawkeyes. The game was all Hawkeyes from the beginning. They led 33-0 before Troy Smith, who replaced Justin Zwick in the third quarter, hit TE Rory Nicol for a TD with 2:19 to play. An ugly day for the Buckeyes, who were outgained 488-177 yds and lost 33-7.
2017: JT Barrett threw a pick six on the first play of the game and set the tone for the kind of game it would be. The #6 and 7-1 Buckeyes were up against it that day. Not only was the Iowa home crowd fired up, but the 5-3 Hawkeyes, in their special black and grey uniforms, were ready to play. Even with everything going against them (even the officials), the Bucks and Hawks were actually tied at 17-17 late in the second quarter. Then disaster hit. Nick Bosa was flagged for targeting and ejected from the game with 3:12 to go in the first half. Open the floodgates! Iowa scored on the next play. 24-17. Then JT Barrett throws another interception. Iowa takes it in for another touchdown. 31-17 at the half. The rout was on. JT Barrett had his worst day as a Buckeye, throwing 4 interceptions as the Hawkeyes went on to win 55-24 in a game that Buckeye Nation would like to forget.
- The Buckeyes and Hawkeyes have played 66 times since 1922 (in 1943 Iowa was Iowa Pre-Flight), with the Buckeyes leading the series 48-15-3 and an average score of 27-15.
- Buckeye's record when both teams are ranked (15-3). When just OSU is ranked (18-4). When just Iowa is ranked (1-2). When neither are ranked (starting in 1936) (10-3-2).
- When OSU is top 3 (9-2). When both top 3 (1-1). No games when just Iowa was top 3.
- Most points by OSU (83) in 1950 (83-21). Widest margin of victory by OSU (62) in the same game.
- Most points by Iowa (55) in 2017 (55-24). Largest margin of victory (31) in the same game.
- Longest win streak OSU (16 games, 1963-1983). Longest win streak Iowa ( 2 games, 2X, 1922-23 and 1959-60.
- Since TCUN became the final game for OSU in 1935, Iowa has been the game before 19 times (16 between 1935-1988).
THE GOOD
1985: The #8 and 6-1 Buckeyes hosted the #1 ranked and undefeated (7-0) Iowa Hawkeyes on a wet November afternoon. Iowa was led by Heisman Trophy front runner Chuck Long at quarterback and All B1G running back Ronnie Harmon. The Buckeyes were without pre-season Heisman favorite RB Keith Byars who missed much of the season with a broken bone in his foot. In his place were freshman tailback Vince Workman and junior John Wooldridge. Jim Karsatos was the quarterback and the wideouts were Cris Carted and Mike Lanese. Iowa had been ranked #1 for the previous 5 weeks.
- After a FG and a Sonny Gordon blocked Iowa punt through the end zone for a safety, the Buckeye's William White intercepts a Chuck Long pass, setting up John Wooldridge's 57 yard blast up the gut for a 15-0 Buckeye lead. Iowa scores before the half and they go to intermission 15-7.
- After a scoreless 3rd quarter, Iowa coughs up the wet ball on their own 31. The Buckeyes recover, and with FB George Cooper carrying the load, the Bucks pound it into the end zone for a 22-7 lead as the heavens open and the rain pours down soaking the 90,000 plus screaming fans.
- Iowa scores with 8:19 to play but misses the two point conversion. 22-13 Bucks. The Buckeyes have to punt, and Iowa drives, but the fired up Buckeye defense holds Iowa to a field goal attempt. Wide left! Buckeyes hold!
- Ohio State has to punt it away at the 1:37 mark. Iowa has one last shot. Long throws over the middle but it is intercepted by Spielman at midfield. GAME OVER! The Buckeyes harassed Long all day and intercepted him 4 times (2 by LB Chris Spielman). The Buckeyes had beaten the #1 ranked Hawkeyes 22-13!
1990: With the Buckeyes trailing 26-21 in Iowa City with 59 seconds to go and no timeouts and the ball on the Hawkeye 48, Greg Frye orchestrated an amazing 5 play drive culminating with a 2 yard pass from Frye to a diving Bobby Olive in the back of the end zone. BUCKS WIN! 27-26! Iowa had led 26-14 with 11 minutes to go before the Buckeyes blocked an Iowa punt at the Iowa 24. Frye then hit Olive with a 21 yard TD pass with 6:30 to play, setting up the final drama.
1995: After an Iowa three and out to open the game, The Buckeye offense scored on 7 of their next 8 possessions, with a Shawn Springs pick six sprinkled in, to take a 56-0 lead. Iowa mustered a score before the half but OSU led 56-7. None of the Ohio State starters saw the field in the second half and the Buckeyes coasted to a 56-35 victory.
2009: After a back and forth game, the 10th ranked Buckeyes beat the 15th ranked Hawkeyes in overtime, 27-24. The Buckeyes scored with 11:11 tp play in the game to go up 24-10, but the Hawkeyes returned the ensuing kickoff 99 yards to pull within a touchdown. In the overtime the Buckeye defense intercepted a last gasp Iowa 4th and 26 pass in the endzone, and then kicked a 39 yard FG to win their 5th straight B1G title and a birth in the Rose Bowl.
THE BAD:
1987: In Earle Bruce's final season, the Iowa Hawkeyes (7-3) came to town to meet the (5-3-1) Ohio State Buckeyes, on the Saturday before the rivalry game. The Buckeyes were already struggling, having lost the two previous games. After a back and forth game, the Buckeyes scored a touchdown with 2:25 to play, after a 75 yard drive. They failed on the two point try. The Hawkeyes returned the kickoff to their own 35 and started the critical drive. After driving down the field, and converting a 4th and 3, the Buckeye defense stiffened. After an Eric Kumerow sack, the Hawkeyes have a 4th and 23 from the OSU 28. But Chuck Hartlieb hit TE Marv Cook at the 9 yard line and he turned and ran it into the end zone. After the extra point, Iowa had won it, 29-27, thus sealing Earle Bruce's fate. He was fired two days later.
THE UGLY:
2004: This was a day the Buckeyes should have stayed in the locker room. Who knows, maybe they did. The 3-2 and surprisingly still ranked 25th Buckeyes hobbled in to Iowa City on a two game losing streak to face the also 3-2 Hawkeyes. The game was all Hawkeyes from the beginning. They led 33-0 before Troy Smith, who replaced Justin Zwick in the third quarter, hit TE Rory Nicol for a TD with 2:19 to play. An ugly day for the Buckeyes, who were outgained 488-177 yds and lost 33-7.
2017: JT Barrett threw a pick six on the first play of the game and set the tone for the kind of game it would be. The #6 and 7-1 Buckeyes were up against it that day. Not only was the Iowa home crowd fired up, but the 5-3 Hawkeyes, in their special black and grey uniforms, were ready to play. Even with everything going against them (even the officials), the Bucks and Hawks were actually tied at 17-17 late in the second quarter. Then disaster hit. Nick Bosa was flagged for targeting and ejected from the game with 3:12 to go in the first half. Open the floodgates! Iowa scored on the next play. 24-17. Then JT Barrett throws another interception. Iowa takes it in for another touchdown. 31-17 at the half. The rout was on. JT Barrett had his worst day as a Buckeye, throwing 4 interceptions as the Hawkeyes went on to win 55-24 in a game that Buckeye Nation would like to forget.
Last edited:
