Ohio State opens its 93rd season of Big Ten play Saturday by hosting defending conference co-champion Iowa. Kickoff is set for 12:10 p.m. in sold out Ohio Stadium, where the Buckeyes have an all-time record of 357-102-20.

Both teams enter the game with 2-1 records and both bounced back last week to record wins following disappointing losses the week before.

Eighth-ranked Ohio State, a 25-22 victim of No. 2 Texas two weeks ago, got back on the winning track Saturday by shutting down visiting San Diego State, 27-6. The Aztecs scored on their first play of the game, going 80 yards to take a quick 6-0 lead, but did not score again against the stout OSU defense which surrendered just 99 yards the rest of the day. Other than the scoring play, SDSU had just one play inside Ohio State territory.

Iowa, felled 23-3 by in-state rival Iowa State two weeks ago on the Cyclones’ home turf, took out its angst on Northern Iowa this past week by rolling up 496 yards and coasting to a 45-21 victory.

The 21st-ranked Hawkeyes shared the Big Ten title with Michigan last year with a 7-1 league record and closed out the season by winning their last seven conference games.

The Buckeyes won four of their last five Big Ten encounters a year ago, including a 37-21 win over Michigan, the only conference team to beat Iowa in 2004.

This will be the 59th meeting between Iowa and Ohio State dating back to 1922. Ohio State leads the overall series, 42-13-3, including a 26-8-1 edge in games played in Columbus.

Iowa recorded a 33-7 victory last year in Iowa City, snapping Ohio State’s eight-game mastery over the Hawks. Drew Tate threw for three touchdowns and ran for another as the Hawkeyes handed the Buckeyes their third straight defeat. Troy Smith’s 23-yard pass to Rory Nicol with 2:19 left in the game accounted for the only OSU score. Smith entered the game in the third quarter when starter Justin Zwick went out with a shoulder injury.

The host Hawkeyes, who led just 10-0 at the half, outgained the Buckeyes 448 to 177 in total yards. Smith would go on to start the remainder of the regular season and lead the Buckeyes to a 4-1 record down the stretch.

The Buckeyes have won four straight in Columbus, last losing at home to Iowa in 1991 by a score of 16-9. Last year’s Iowa win represents the largest margin of victory in the series for the Hawkeyes. The Buckeyes recorded an 83-21 victory in 1950 and more recently a 45-14 triumph in 1998.

Former Ohio State standout Jack Tatum will serve as the honorary captain this week.

ABC will televise the game to approximately 50 percent of the country and WBNS Radio will broadcast the contest around the state on the 73-station Ohio State network.

Tags: Buckeye Football //