by Rod Pearson
Monday, Sep 28, 2026
Game Time: 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, October 3, 2026
Venue: Kinnick Stadium, Iowa City, IA
Where to Watch: CBS
Opening Odds at USA Sportsbooks
DraftKings: Point Spread: Ohio State -13.5, Iowa +13.5; Over/Under: 45.5 points
Bet365: Point Spread: Ohio State -13.5, Iowa +13.5; Over/Under: 45.5 points
BetMGM: Point Spread: Ohio State -13.5, Iowa +13.5; Over/Under: 45.5 points
Season Record
Ohio State Buckeyes: 3-1 (1-0) (5th place, Big Ten)
Iowa Hawkeyes: 4-0 (1-0) (2nd place, Big Ten)
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Recent Form
Ohio State Buckeyes: won their last game at home against the Illinois Fighting Illini 42-19.
Iowa Hawkeyes: won their last game on the road against the Michigan Wolverines 20-19.
Ohio State Buckeyes vs Iowa Hawkeyes Preview and Analysis
Ohio State is entering this game with a 3-1 record overall and they have a 1-0 record in their conference games too. They are 3-0 in their home games, 0-1 in their road games, and they are also 0-0 in their neutral site games this season, but they will be on the road for this game. They won their last game against Illinois 42-19. Julian Sayin was the starting QB and he completed 27/36 passes for 367 passing yards, 4 touchdowns, and 0 interceptions. Ja'Kobi Jackson led the team in rushing yards with 56 and 1 TD. Jeremiah Smith led the receivers with 217 receiving yards on 12 receptions and 4 TDs. Jaylen McClain led the defense in that game with 8 tackles while Riley Pettijohn and Kenyatta Jackson Jr. each led the defense in sacks with 1. No one on the defense came away with an interception for them in that one.
Iowa is entering this game with a 4-0 record overall and they have a 1-0 record in their conference games too. They are 3-0 in their home games, 1-0 in their road games, and they are also 0-0 in their neutral site games this season, but they will be at home for this game. They won their last game against Michigan 20-19. Hank Brown was the starting QB and he completed 21/35 passes for 227 passing yards, 2 touchdowns, and 0 interceptions. Kamari Moulton led the team in rushing yards with 44. Reece Vander Zee led the receivers with 66 receiving yards on 5 receptions and 2 TDs. Zach Lutmer led the defense in that game with 12 tackles while Jayden Montgomery led the defense in sacks with 1. Deshaun Lee came away with the only interception for them in that one.
Ohio State vs Iowa Prediction
The current betting odds have Ohio State listed as a 13.5 point favorite in this game according to Draftkings Sportsbook. Ohio State has looked good in their games this season with their 3-1 record overall and their 1-0 conference record which has them near the top of the Big Ten. They haven't been a great road team though with their 0-1 road record this year. Meanwhile, Iowa has looked great in their games this season with their 4-0 record overall and their 1-0 conference record which has them right near the top of the Big Ten. They have looked great on their home field too with their 3-0 home record this season. Iowa is coming off a 20-19 win over Michigan in their last one and they pulled off a big upset on the road. They had to drive the field over 90 yards with less than 2 minutes left and put up a TD to win, which they did, but they really didn't look good for most of that game. They have had a great defense all year which is one of the best defenses in the Big Ten and they were a big part of this victory. Their offense hasn't looked great against real defenses though and that game against Michigan was no different. Their only other TD in that one was a kick return and they were outplayed heavily for 60 minutes, but Michigan didn't have the offense to take advantage. Ohio State does have the offense to take advantage though and torch this Iowa defense. Ohio State had one of the best defenses in the nation last season too, so Iowa isn't going to have it any easier on offense in this one. Iowa's defense can only keep them in this game for so long before Ohio State pulls away with all of that talent they have on offense. Look for Ohio State to do what Michigan couldn't do last week and take advantage of this terrible Iowa offense to pull away late and put Iowa away. The best way to place a bet here is on Ohio State to cover the spread in this game.
Ohio State Iowa Prediction: Our NCAAF Pick for Saturday, October 3, 2026 (3:30 pm ET start time) is Ohio State 31 Iowa 3.
Don't miss our champion handicappers free picks and expert football picks today. And if you enjoyed this Ohio State Buckeyes Iowa Hawkeyes prediction, be sure to drop by every day for our weekly NCAAF predictions and previews.
NCAAF Betting Trends
Ohio State Buckeyes: 22-10 ATS against FBS division opponents. 14-7 ATS against conference opponents. 12-3 ATS when playing against a top-level team (Win Pct. > 75%). 7-1 UNDER as a road favorite. 9-5 UNDER when the total is between 42.5 and 49.
Iowa Hawkeyes: 30-41 ATS in a home game where the total is between 42.5 and 49. 6-1 UNDER as an underdog. 9-3 UNDER when the total is between 42.5 and 49. 6-3 1H UNDER after playing their last game on the road.
Key Injuries
Ohio State Buckeyes: K. Parker (WR) Questionable - Undisclosed. L. Bey (RB) Questionable - Undisclosed. Z. Grady (DL) Questionable - Undisclosed. A. Valerio-Hudson (WR) Questionable - Undisclosed.
Iowa Hawkeyes: D. Vonnahme (TE) Probable - Undisclosed. K. Moulton (RB) Probable - Undisclosed. L. Phillips Jr. (RB) Questionable - Ankle.
Notable Quotes
“I mean, if there’s a better player in the country, it’s hard to imagine. Or even just watching him play every game this year. I think he’s taking his game to the next level this year.” - Ryan Day after his team’s win against Illinois in their last game.
“To be able to silence a stadium like that, there’s no greater feeling.” - Hank Brown after their win against Michigan in their last game.
Starting Lineups
Ohio State Buckeyes
WR Smith, Jeremiah
WR McCuin, Devin
WR Inniss, Brandon
TE Roberts, Nate
QB Sayin, Julian
RB Jackson, Bo
Iowa Hawkeyes
WR Vander Zee, Reece
WR Diaz, Tony
WR James, Evan
TE Vonnahme, DJ
QB Brown, Hank
RB Moulton, Kamari
Statistical Leaders
Ohio State Buckeyes
Passing: Julian Sayin (1,206)
Rushing: Bo Jackson (283)
Receiving: Jeremiah Smith (617)
Touchdowns: Jeremiah Smith (7)
Iowa Hawkeyes
Passing: Hank Brown (700)
Rushing: Kamari Moulton (284)
Receiving: Tony Diaz (247)
Touchdowns: Xavier Williams (4)
Coaches:
Ohio State Buckeyes: Ryan Day (9th season)
Iowa Hawkeyes: Kirk Ferentz (28th season)
Rod Pearson
About the Author:
Rod Pearson has been a rabid sports fan his entire life. He grew up in Ontario, and was skilled in both hockey and baseball, and pitched in an elite baseball league for many years. In 2022, Rod decided to hang up his glove, so that he could write about the sports he loves -- but from a gambling perspective. Join Rod every day as he breaks down the games to find the best betting value.
