Jeremiah Smith Breaks Two Ohio State Records in 31-14 Win at No. 14 Iowa

Fifth-ranked Ohio State used a record-setting receiving day from Jeremiah Smith and multiple defensive takeaways to beat No. 14 Iowa 31-14 at Kinnick Stadium.

Fifth-ranked Ohio State defeated No. 14 Iowa 31-14 on Saturday, Oct. 3, at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City. The Hawkeyes kept the NCAA football game within reach well into the third quarter before the Buckeyes pulled clear, and wide receiver Jeremiah Smith claimed two school career records along the way.

Quarterback Julian Sayin directed the Ohio State attack, completing 20 of 27 passes for 324 yards and three touchdowns. Two of the scoring throws went to Smith and one to Devin McCuin.

The Buckeyes struck for a turnover less than a minute into the contest. On second-and-8 on Iowa's opening series, defensive end Kenyatta Jackson Jr. sacked quarterback Hank Brown for a 13-yard loss and knocked the ball loose, and linebacker Christian Alliegro recovered to give Ohio State possession at the Iowa 14. Two plays later, Sayin hit McCuin for a 15-yard touchdown.

Jackson left the game late in the first quarter after getting tangled up with Iowa tight end Addison Ostrenga. He returned during the first drive of the second quarter.

Ohio State's lead stayed narrow for much of the first half. After a missed field goal and a punt on back-to-back possessions, the Buckeyes led just 10-6 when they took the ball for the final time before halftime. Smith ended that drive with a 12-yard catch on which he reached the ball across the goal line before landing, sending his team into the break up 17-6. That score drew him even with Chris Olave's school record for career touchdowns, and his six first-half receptions for 111 yards gave him a 15th game of at least 100 receiving yards, matching Marvin Harrison's school mark.

After halftime, Smith moved past both records. He finished with 11 catches for 206 yards and two touchdowns, taking sole possession of Ohio State's career marks for touchdowns, previously held by Olave, and receptions, previously held by Emeka Egbuka. His second touchdown came midway through the third quarter on a 57-yard Sayin pass on second-and-4, a play on which he ran free downfield, extending the lead to 24-6.

The defense answered on Iowa's next possession. Safety Jaylen McClain intercepted a Brown pass that covered 27 yards with 2:52 left in the third quarter, after defensive tackle John Walker hurried the quarterback. The takeaway gave Ohio State the ball at its own 30 and kept the margin at 24-6 entering the fourth quarter.

Running back Ja'Kobi Jackson closed out the scoring for the Buckeyes. Facing an Iowa defense that entered the day ranked among the top 20 against the run, he gained 72 yards on 14 carries, 5.1 per attempt, and finished a seven-yard touchdown run early in the fourth quarter that made it 31-6.

The win was a meaningful road result for the fifth-ranked Buckeyes against a ranked opponent, and it comes before a demanding stretch of their schedule.