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LGHL A Gene Wilder themed recap of Ohio State’s 35-7 win over Iowa
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A Gene Wilder themed recap of Ohio State’s 35-7 win over Iowa
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Kyle Robertson/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
The Buckeyes turned up the heat in the second half to bury the Hawkeyes in Columbus.
Ohio State continued their undefeated start to the 2024 season on Saturday, beating the Iowa Hawkeyes 35-7 in Columbus. The Buckeyes started off slow, only leading the Hawkeyes by a touchdown at halftime before putting some distance on Kirk Ferentz’s team in the second half. Now, Ohio State fully turns its attention to Saturday night’s massive showdown in Eugene with Oregon.
I’ve been using the works of some famous alumni from the opponents of Ohio State this year to hit on the key points of what we have seen in games this year. One of Iowa’s most famous alums is actor Gene Wilder. After growing up in Wisconsin, Wilder attended the University of Iowa, graduating with a degree in Communication and Theatre Arts in 1955. With his impressive resume, it wasn’t hard to find five of his works that describe what we saw on Saturday.
The combination of Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson at running back is electric. Iowa entered the game not having allowed 100 yards rushing to any of their first four opponents this season. Their streak of holding opponents under triple digits on the ground this year came to an end against the Buckeyes, who rolled up 203 yards rushing. Judkins finished with 78 yards on 13 carries, while Henderson had 61 yards on 11 carries.
There’s no question the duo is the best running back combination in the country. Even though their stats haven’t jumped off the page in the last two games, they are perfect for Chip Kelly’s offense since they demand so much attention when they are on the field, which forces opposing defenses to make a decision on where they want to allocate their resources.
What’s even scarier for upcoming opponents on the schedule of Ohio State is Judkins and Henderson aren’t being used a ton, which will keep them fresher as the season goes along. In November as the weather becomes more suspect in Big Ten country, the running backs are going to become an even bigger part of the offense than they already are.
If you were to build a perfect wide receiver, it would be Jeremiah Smith. Through five games at the college level, Smith has scored at least one touchdown in each game. Along with the scores, Smith has had three highlight reel one-handed catches over the past two games. The latest was a touchdown reception where he had an Iowa defender blanketed on him in the end zone. Smith just stuck his free hand up and was able to corral the Will Howard pass.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25661181/2176082927.jpg "COLLEGE FOOTBALL: OCT 05 Iowa at Ohio State")
Photo by Ian Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Smith has a great compliment in the passing game, lining up with Emeka Egbuka at wide receiver. Egbuka brings veteran leadership and steady play, while Smith has the youth energy and big-play ability. Smith finished with four catches for 89 yards and a score against the Hawkeyes.
Speaking of wide receivers, Egbuka had what might have been his best performance in the scarlet and gray, hauling in nine passes and scoring three touchdowns. The senior now has five touchdowns this year, halfway to matching his career-high that he set in 2022. What made what we saw from Egbuka even more impressive is his touchdown were all contested catches, unlike some of the scores where he takes a screen pass and uses his outstanding speed to leave defenders in the dust.
When it is all said and done, Egbuka is going to have one of the quietest great careers in school history. Since arriving in Columbus, Egbuka has been surrounded by tremendous receivers. Garrett Wilson, Chris Olave, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, and Marvin Harrison Jr. we’re all first round draft picks, and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Egbuka taken in the first round of the 2025 draft.
Even this year, Smith has dominated the headlines where it comes to the receivers. In honesty though, Egbuka probably likes it that way. With less attention being given to him, it allows him to continue to put up big numbers and move his way up Ohio State’s receiving record books.
Wilder was only credited as “waiter” in one episode of the show from the 1960s, but it is on his filmography and still counts, so we’ll use it to give the Buckeye defense some shine.
The Ohio State defense continued to make like miserable for their opponents this year. Through five games, the Buckeyes have allowed just 34 points. Where Ohio State have been particularly strong this season is in the second half games. While Iowa did get a touchdown after halftime, it wasn’t anything that put the lead of the Buckeyes in danger.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25661182/usa_today_24421575.jpg "Syndication: The Des Moines Register")
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Iowa running back Kaleb Johnson entered the game on a heater to start the season. Ohio State only allowed the Hamilton native 86 yards on the ground, with 28 yards coming on his touchdown run. Had it not been for the touchdown run by Johnson, the Hawkeyes wouldn’t have even cracked 100 yards rushing for the game.
Along with the rush defense, the secondary continued to cause problems for opponents. Davison Igbinosun grabbed his first career interception, Caleb Downs was everywhere on the field, and Lathan Ransom was laying the lumber from his safety position. The unit was helped by the constant pressure Jack Sawyer, J.T. Tuimoloau, and the rest of the defensive line were creating. Sawyer had a sack and a half, while Tuimoloau was credited with the other half sack.
While we know Iowa’s defense isn’t going to light the world on fire, it was still a very workmanlike showing from the Buckeyes. They’ll head into Eugene with a lot of confidence as they prepare for the toughest test they’ll face during the regular season.
At least on Saturday there was no evil afoot in Columbus. The same can’t be said around the rest of the country, with a number of Top 10 teams being upset. The most shocking upset came in Nashville, where Alabama lost to Vanderbilt. The Crimson Tide entered the week as the top team in the country after beating Georgia last Saturday night. Even though Alabama’s playoff hopes are still alive, they took a huge hit after falling to a team they were favored over by more than three touchdowns.
In the Big Ten, Michigan lost the rematch of January’s title game. Washington was able to gain a bit of revenge by beating the Wolverines 27-17. Sherrone Moore’s team has already lost two games this year, and still have to play Oregon and Ohio State. At this point, the only hope for the Wolverines to make the CFP looks like it will have to be winning the Big Ten.
Elsewhere in the conference, USC is still winless on the road in the Big Ten, losing at Minnesota last night. The Trojans will have to put the loss behind them quickly, as they’ll host Penn State this Saturday.
Moving back to the SEC, Tennessee and Missouri were big losers on Saturday. The Tigers had no shot against Texas A&M on Saturday, getting blown out by the Aggies in College Station. Later in the evening, the Volunteers were upset by Arkansas. The loss for Josh Heupel’s team was shocking considering how good they have looked prior to the game with the Razorbacks. It is going to be tougher for Missouri to rebound from the setback since they haven’t been nearly as impressive to start the season as Tennessee had been.
Continue reading...
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Kyle Robertson/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
The Buckeyes turned up the heat in the second half to bury the Hawkeyes in Columbus.
Ohio State continued their undefeated start to the 2024 season on Saturday, beating the Iowa Hawkeyes 35-7 in Columbus. The Buckeyes started off slow, only leading the Hawkeyes by a touchdown at halftime before putting some distance on Kirk Ferentz’s team in the second half. Now, Ohio State fully turns its attention to Saturday night’s massive showdown in Eugene with Oregon.
I’ve been using the works of some famous alumni from the opponents of Ohio State this year to hit on the key points of what we have seen in games this year. One of Iowa’s most famous alums is actor Gene Wilder. After growing up in Wisconsin, Wilder attended the University of Iowa, graduating with a degree in Communication and Theatre Arts in 1955. With his impressive resume, it wasn’t hard to find five of his works that describe what we saw on Saturday.
Bonnie and Clyde
The combination of Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson at running back is electric. Iowa entered the game not having allowed 100 yards rushing to any of their first four opponents this season. Their streak of holding opponents under triple digits on the ground this year came to an end against the Buckeyes, who rolled up 203 yards rushing. Judkins finished with 78 yards on 13 carries, while Henderson had 61 yards on 11 carries.
There’s no question the duo is the best running back combination in the country. Even though their stats haven’t jumped off the page in the last two games, they are perfect for Chip Kelly’s offense since they demand so much attention when they are on the field, which forces opposing defenses to make a decision on where they want to allocate their resources.
What’s even scarier for upcoming opponents on the schedule of Ohio State is Judkins and Henderson aren’t being used a ton, which will keep them fresher as the season goes along. In November as the weather becomes more suspect in Big Ten country, the running backs are going to become an even bigger part of the offense than they already are.
Young Frankenstein
If you were to build a perfect wide receiver, it would be Jeremiah Smith. Through five games at the college level, Smith has scored at least one touchdown in each game. Along with the scores, Smith has had three highlight reel one-handed catches over the past two games. The latest was a touchdown reception where he had an Iowa defender blanketed on him in the end zone. Smith just stuck his free hand up and was able to corral the Will Howard pass.
Smith has a great compliment in the passing game, lining up with Emeka Egbuka at wide receiver. Egbuka brings veteran leadership and steady play, while Smith has the youth energy and big-play ability. Smith finished with four catches for 89 yards and a score against the Hawkeyes.
Silver Streak
Speaking of wide receivers, Egbuka had what might have been his best performance in the scarlet and gray, hauling in nine passes and scoring three touchdowns. The senior now has five touchdowns this year, halfway to matching his career-high that he set in 2022. What made what we saw from Egbuka even more impressive is his touchdown were all contested catches, unlike some of the scores where he takes a screen pass and uses his outstanding speed to leave defenders in the dust.
When it is all said and done, Egbuka is going to have one of the quietest great careers in school history. Since arriving in Columbus, Egbuka has been surrounded by tremendous receivers. Garrett Wilson, Chris Olave, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, and Marvin Harrison Jr. we’re all first round draft picks, and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Egbuka taken in the first round of the 2025 draft.
Even this year, Smith has dominated the headlines where it comes to the receivers. In honesty though, Egbuka probably likes it that way. With less attention being given to him, it allows him to continue to put up big numbers and move his way up Ohio State’s receiving record books.
The Defenders
Wilder was only credited as “waiter” in one episode of the show from the 1960s, but it is on his filmography and still counts, so we’ll use it to give the Buckeye defense some shine.
The Ohio State defense continued to make like miserable for their opponents this year. Through five games, the Buckeyes have allowed just 34 points. Where Ohio State have been particularly strong this season is in the second half games. While Iowa did get a touchdown after halftime, it wasn’t anything that put the lead of the Buckeyes in danger.
Iowa running back Kaleb Johnson entered the game on a heater to start the season. Ohio State only allowed the Hamilton native 86 yards on the ground, with 28 yards coming on his touchdown run. Had it not been for the touchdown run by Johnson, the Hawkeyes wouldn’t have even cracked 100 yards rushing for the game.
Along with the rush defense, the secondary continued to cause problems for opponents. Davison Igbinosun grabbed his first career interception, Caleb Downs was everywhere on the field, and Lathan Ransom was laying the lumber from his safety position. The unit was helped by the constant pressure Jack Sawyer, J.T. Tuimoloau, and the rest of the defensive line were creating. Sawyer had a sack and a half, while Tuimoloau was credited with the other half sack.
While we know Iowa’s defense isn’t going to light the world on fire, it was still a very workmanlike showing from the Buckeyes. They’ll head into Eugene with a lot of confidence as they prepare for the toughest test they’ll face during the regular season.
See No Evil, Hear No Evil
At least on Saturday there was no evil afoot in Columbus. The same can’t be said around the rest of the country, with a number of Top 10 teams being upset. The most shocking upset came in Nashville, where Alabama lost to Vanderbilt. The Crimson Tide entered the week as the top team in the country after beating Georgia last Saturday night. Even though Alabama’s playoff hopes are still alive, they took a huge hit after falling to a team they were favored over by more than three touchdowns.
In the Big Ten, Michigan lost the rematch of January’s title game. Washington was able to gain a bit of revenge by beating the Wolverines 27-17. Sherrone Moore’s team has already lost two games this year, and still have to play Oregon and Ohio State. At this point, the only hope for the Wolverines to make the CFP looks like it will have to be winning the Big Ten.
Elsewhere in the conference, USC is still winless on the road in the Big Ten, losing at Minnesota last night. The Trojans will have to put the loss behind them quickly, as they’ll host Penn State this Saturday.
Moving back to the SEC, Tennessee and Missouri were big losers on Saturday. The Tigers had no shot against Texas A&M on Saturday, getting blown out by the Aggies in College Station. Later in the evening, the Volunteers were upset by Arkansas. The loss for Josh Heupel’s team was shocking considering how good they have looked prior to the game with the Razorbacks. It is going to be tougher for Missouri to rebound from the setback since they haven’t been nearly as impressive to start the season as Tennessee had been.
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2026 IN DL Jerimy "JJ" Finch, Jr. (Alabama Decommit, Tennessee Signee)
- By pnuts34
- Football Recruiting
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HudL
Class: 2026
Position: DL
School: Indianapolis (IN) Warren Central
Height: 6-foot-3
Weight: 260 lbs
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Rivals
HudL
Class: 2026
Position: DL
School: Indianapolis (IN) Warren Central
Height: 6-foot-3
Weight: 260 lbs
Login to view embedded media
LGHL OHIO STATE GAMEDAY: It’s a bad day to be an Iowa Hawkeye
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OHIO STATE GAMEDAY: It’s a bad day to be an Iowa Hawkeye
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images
The Buckeyes last roadblock between them and Oregon comes in the form of Kirk Ferentz.
Wake up, everyone. It’s Ohio State game day!
Ohio State kicked off its Big Ten schedule with a 38-7 win over Michigan State in East Lansing, and the competition is only going to get tougher from there. The Buckeyes begin their real tough stretch of the schedule on Saturday, as the Iowa Hawkeyes come to town with an improved offense and an always stingy defense. Ryan Day’s group will have to be sharp against Kirk Ferentz and Co.
Over the past week, our talented group of writers and podcasters have put together preview pieces, analytical breakdowns, and everything in-between.
If you missed out on any of the coverage, we have you... well, covered. Below, each type of story is categorized. If you’re looking for podcasts and previews we’ve done, you can find them; if you’re looking for the betting lines and non-football topics, they are there, too.
Enjoy the day everyone. As always, Go Bucks!
Continue reading...
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images
The Buckeyes last roadblock between them and Oregon comes in the form of Kirk Ferentz.
Wake up, everyone. It’s Ohio State game day!
Ohio State kicked off its Big Ten schedule with a 38-7 win over Michigan State in East Lansing, and the competition is only going to get tougher from there. The Buckeyes begin their real tough stretch of the schedule on Saturday, as the Iowa Hawkeyes come to town with an improved offense and an always stingy defense. Ryan Day’s group will have to be sharp against Kirk Ferentz and Co.
Over the past week, our talented group of writers and podcasters have put together preview pieces, analytical breakdowns, and everything in-between.
If you missed out on any of the coverage, we have you... well, covered. Below, each type of story is categorized. If you’re looking for podcasts and previews we’ve done, you can find them; if you’re looking for the betting lines and non-football topics, they are there, too.
Enjoy the day everyone. As always, Go Bucks!
Podcasts
- Power Two: Alabama-Georgia will go down as a timeless classic
- Silver Bullets: Michigan State rewind and Iowa preview
- Hangout in the Holy Land: How will Ohio State slow down Kaleb Johnson?
- I-80 Football Show: Washington may finally put an end to our national nightmare!
- No Fall Weddings: Will Ohio State’s defense be exposed by Iowa’s running game?
- In Conversation: ‘I look at Iowa’s passing game as warm jello’
Previews
- Things you need to know about the Iowa Hawkeyes
- Ohio State v. Iowa: 2024 game preview and prediction
- What matchup will determine the winner of Ohio State vs. Iowa?
- Life in Simulation: EA CFB 25 predicts Ohio State vs. Iowa
Sports Betting
- Ohio State opens as 20.5-point favorites over Iowa
- MC&J: Ohio State is nearly three-touchdown favorites over Iowa in Week 6 Big Ten action
- MC&J: Miami will try and stay undefeated when they take on Cal in Week 6 national action
Basketball
- Ohio State men’s basketball player preview: Aaron Bradshaw
- Ohio State women’s basketball coach Kevin McGuff at Big Ten Media Day
- Ohio State men’s basketball ranks eighth in Big Ten media poll
- Ohio State fans drew short end of the stick with this year’s home basketball schedule
- Chance Gray helps Ohio State women’s basketball in multiple ways for 2024-25 season
- Who will win Big Ten Freshman of the Year?
- Ohio State women’s basketball freshman Ava Watson’s ability to make early impact
Recruiting
- Ohio’s No. 1 player in 2026 lists Ohio State among top schools
- 2026 four-star UNC edge commit to visit Ohio State
- Could the Buckeyes get a five-star quarterback BOOM this weekend?
- Ohio State offers two 2026 prospects, makes the cut for a top safety target
- Ohio State to host four-star guard, Toledo native Jerry Easter Jr. this weekend
- Ohio State continues to offer new names, has loaded list of guests for tomorrow’s showdown with Iowa
Ask LGHL/B1G Top 10
- Big Ten Top 10: Alabama at No. 1, Ohio State leads three B1G teams in top 10
- Do you think Jeremiah Smith is already Ohio State’s GOAT wide receiver?
Other Columns
- Jeremiah Smith is the best Ohio State freshman since...
- What is the best catch you’ve seen an Ohio State player make?
- Which young Buckeyes have shown flashes of superstardom?
- Ohio State’s defense is actually good; Or, Are all college football fans as neurotic as we are?
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LGHL If This Were a Movie: Ohio State vs. Iowa? It’s the Hawk(eye) of the Tiger
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If This Were a Movie: Ohio State vs. Iowa? It’s the Hawk(eye) of the Tiger
Jami Jurich via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Samantha Madar/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
The better team won yesterday, but don’t count Iowa out just yet. They still have more to prove.
Each week, we’ll analyze the Ohio State game (and occasionally other games as well) through the lens of cinema. If this game were the next “Remember the Titans,” “Space Jam” or “The Notebook,” what storylines would keep us talking? What would make us laugh, reach for the box of tissues, or have us on the edge of our seats? Grab your popcorn and get ready for pop culture references, a hint of snark, and a trip back in time to the Blockbuster Video days.
When the Iowa Hawkeyes took the field against the No. 3 Ohio State Buckeyes this Saturday, there was more on the line than just wins and losses. This Iowa team started the season ranked in the Top 25 and moved up after Week One before falling to then-unranked Iowa State.
This is not a bad Hawkeye football team by any means, but since that first loss, they’ve had a lot to prove as far as their talent goes. Despite the offensive prowess of star running back Kaleb Johnson and an unnervingly good defense, the Hawkeyes haven’t really held their own against marquee opponents in some time. A victory over Ohio State would have done a lot to redeem them, potentially even skyrocketing them back into the rankings.
Similar to the Hawkeyes, when we first meet Rocky Balboa in the 1976 cinematic masterpiece “Rocky,” the small-time, third-rate boxer is collecting debts for a local loan shark (poorly, I might add, as he lacks the ruthlessness needed to do the job) when he stumbles into a marquee matchup to put him on the map in the form of heavyweight boxing champion Apollo Creed.
When Creed loses his scheduled opponent for a fight due to an injured hand, he decides to find a local contender to challenge him. Rocky is hesitant but ultimately agrees to take Creed on, though it’s not just money on the line for Balboa—it’s his own sense of accomplishment.
Rocky never really believes he has a chance, but he seizes the opportunity to prove himself, and he comes out of the gate with a bang, defeating Creed in the first round.
Similarly, though the Buckeyes are nationally recognized as a title contender, the Hawkeyes held their own against Ohio State in the first half. While the Buckeyes scored first, the Hawkeyes also held them to just that lone touchdown in the first half, sending OSU into halftime with just a 7-0 lead.
The pressure was on for the Buckeyes.
To be fair, it wasn’t a particularly pretty first half for either team. But nor was it pretty for Rocky and Creed. It’s boxing, for Pete’s sake. It’s a messy sport, what can I say?
While Iowa didn’t play its best half of football, it did enough to keep the Buckeyes in check. After the lone touchdown of the half, the Buckeyes turned the ball over on downs and turned the ball over in error twice—once on a fumble by freshman standout Jeremiah Smith, and once on an interception from quarterback Will Howard.
We had ourselves a football game. Until we didn’t anymore. While both the Hawkeyes and Rocky put up a good fight, in the end, neither did enough to secure the victory.
Now, I don’t want to spoil the ending, but Rocky came out in 1976. If you don’t know how it ends, I don’t know how to help you here. The statute of limitations on spoilers is up.
For Rocky, Creed had too much talent. He won in a split decision, with his superior skills giving him the edge.
For the Buckeyes? By the time the second half kicked off, Ohio State found its groove, going into the locker room for halftime on shaky ground and coming out looking like a championship team. Right away, Howard and Smith connected for some flashy plays that reminded everyone why they were heavily favored in this battle.
It was too big a mountain for Iowa to overcome this time, no matter how valiantly they tried to stay in it in the first half.
Now, before you get too upset about the underdog losing in the end, don’t lose heart. First of all, we are an Ohio State site—you didn’t really expect us to ROOT for Iowa to win, did you?
But as for our guy Rocky, he takes it on the chin, undeterred by the outcome. You can watch “Rocky II” if you want to see what happens next.
While the fight between Rocky and Creed was much closer than the final score between Ohio State and Iowa, the energy was the same—a team that seemingly had no business playing with their opponent somehow managed to dig deep and stay in it. A team with a lot to prove to themselves and the rest of the college football world tries their darndest to stay in the conversation but ultimately falls short when it counts.
At the end of the day, my loyalty is with Ohio State. That’s my alma mater, and I’m rooting for them. But I want to live in a world where there are multiple Big Ten powerhouses who give them a run for their money. Better fights are more entertaining—no one likes a blowout.
So a team like Iowa, who doesn’t have the same recruiting star-power as the Buckeyes and who have to get a little scrappier to get the job done, would make an incredible instigator. They’re not there this year but don’t count them out in the long run.
Rocky didn’t win the battle against Apollo Creed, but he wasn’t done for good. And while I’m relieved the Buckeyes pulled it together so well in the second half, I’m not ready to write off these Hawkeyes just yet. They have too much to prove for me to count them out in the long run.
Continue reading...
Jami Jurich via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Samantha Madar/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
The better team won yesterday, but don’t count Iowa out just yet. They still have more to prove.
Each week, we’ll analyze the Ohio State game (and occasionally other games as well) through the lens of cinema. If this game were the next “Remember the Titans,” “Space Jam” or “The Notebook,” what storylines would keep us talking? What would make us laugh, reach for the box of tissues, or have us on the edge of our seats? Grab your popcorn and get ready for pop culture references, a hint of snark, and a trip back in time to the Blockbuster Video days.
When the Iowa Hawkeyes took the field against the No. 3 Ohio State Buckeyes this Saturday, there was more on the line than just wins and losses. This Iowa team started the season ranked in the Top 25 and moved up after Week One before falling to then-unranked Iowa State.
This is not a bad Hawkeye football team by any means, but since that first loss, they’ve had a lot to prove as far as their talent goes. Despite the offensive prowess of star running back Kaleb Johnson and an unnervingly good defense, the Hawkeyes haven’t really held their own against marquee opponents in some time. A victory over Ohio State would have done a lot to redeem them, potentially even skyrocketing them back into the rankings.
Similar to the Hawkeyes, when we first meet Rocky Balboa in the 1976 cinematic masterpiece “Rocky,” the small-time, third-rate boxer is collecting debts for a local loan shark (poorly, I might add, as he lacks the ruthlessness needed to do the job) when he stumbles into a marquee matchup to put him on the map in the form of heavyweight boxing champion Apollo Creed.
When Creed loses his scheduled opponent for a fight due to an injured hand, he decides to find a local contender to challenge him. Rocky is hesitant but ultimately agrees to take Creed on, though it’s not just money on the line for Balboa—it’s his own sense of accomplishment.
Rocky never really believes he has a chance, but he seizes the opportunity to prove himself, and he comes out of the gate with a bang, defeating Creed in the first round.
Similarly, though the Buckeyes are nationally recognized as a title contender, the Hawkeyes held their own against Ohio State in the first half. While the Buckeyes scored first, the Hawkeyes also held them to just that lone touchdown in the first half, sending OSU into halftime with just a 7-0 lead.
The pressure was on for the Buckeyes.
To be fair, it wasn’t a particularly pretty first half for either team. But nor was it pretty for Rocky and Creed. It’s boxing, for Pete’s sake. It’s a messy sport, what can I say?
While Iowa didn’t play its best half of football, it did enough to keep the Buckeyes in check. After the lone touchdown of the half, the Buckeyes turned the ball over on downs and turned the ball over in error twice—once on a fumble by freshman standout Jeremiah Smith, and once on an interception from quarterback Will Howard.
We had ourselves a football game. Until we didn’t anymore. While both the Hawkeyes and Rocky put up a good fight, in the end, neither did enough to secure the victory.
Now, I don’t want to spoil the ending, but Rocky came out in 1976. If you don’t know how it ends, I don’t know how to help you here. The statute of limitations on spoilers is up.
For Rocky, Creed had too much talent. He won in a split decision, with his superior skills giving him the edge.
For the Buckeyes? By the time the second half kicked off, Ohio State found its groove, going into the locker room for halftime on shaky ground and coming out looking like a championship team. Right away, Howard and Smith connected for some flashy plays that reminded everyone why they were heavily favored in this battle.
It was too big a mountain for Iowa to overcome this time, no matter how valiantly they tried to stay in it in the first half.
Now, before you get too upset about the underdog losing in the end, don’t lose heart. First of all, we are an Ohio State site—you didn’t really expect us to ROOT for Iowa to win, did you?
But as for our guy Rocky, he takes it on the chin, undeterred by the outcome. You can watch “Rocky II” if you want to see what happens next.
While the fight between Rocky and Creed was much closer than the final score between Ohio State and Iowa, the energy was the same—a team that seemingly had no business playing with their opponent somehow managed to dig deep and stay in it. A team with a lot to prove to themselves and the rest of the college football world tries their darndest to stay in the conversation but ultimately falls short when it counts.
At the end of the day, my loyalty is with Ohio State. That’s my alma mater, and I’m rooting for them. But I want to live in a world where there are multiple Big Ten powerhouses who give them a run for their money. Better fights are more entertaining—no one likes a blowout.
So a team like Iowa, who doesn’t have the same recruiting star-power as the Buckeyes and who have to get a little scrappier to get the job done, would make an incredible instigator. They’re not there this year but don’t count them out in the long run.
Rocky didn’t win the battle against Apollo Creed, but he wasn’t done for good. And while I’m relieved the Buckeyes pulled it together so well in the second half, I’m not ready to write off these Hawkeyes just yet. They have too much to prove for me to count them out in the long run.
Continue reading...
