How the Iowa Hawkeyes Won the Weekend Despite Losing to Ohio State

Saturday's game between Iowa and Ohio State was the biggest for the Hawkeyes in quite some time, with the eyes of the entire college football world locked on Iowa City over the weekend.

Yes, the main event between Big Ten rivals didn't go the way anyone from Iowa wanted, but the entire state showed out in the spotlight.

Iowa Shines Bright on College GameDay

The college football world was in for a treat on Saturday, as ESPN's College GameDay did their show from the University of Iowa campus. It was the first time this season that the show didn't air from an SEC campus, and the Iowa faithful were hosts that seemingly won't soon be forgotten by the GameDay crew.

Everyone from the GameDay crew stopped by the Iowa Children's Hospital on Friday before the game and played and visited with children and families of those currently admitted to the facility, and it clearly left a mark.

Before the crowds and the cameras, there were moments like these 💛🖤

A special shoutout to the @CollegeGameDay crew for bringing smiles to our patients yesterday! pic.twitter.com/TuAVptd3P6
— UI Health Care Stead Family Children's Hospital (@UIchildrens) October 3, 2026

Stanford Steve, a part of College GameDay as well as a key part of Scott Van Pelt's SportsCenter show, spoke Saturday night about his experience in Iowa City - and for a man who has been just about everywhere college football has to offer, this one was different.

"As special an experience as I've ever had in my life."@StanfordSteve82 recaps an unforgettable experience in Iowa City 🖤💛 pic.twitter.com/4soL5HC6Go
— SVPod (@_SVPod) October 4, 2026

Yes, more eyeballs are on Kinnick Stadium when a team like Ohio State comes to town, but "The Wave" tradition hits like nothing else in American sports even if its Northern Illinois or Kent State that is in town.

Hated rival or a buy game, the stadium shows out and when you watch an Iowa game even from home, that moment being showcased always makes your room get a bit dusty.

What other tradition in sports is going to get the rival coach to write letters to the families of those involved during game week, like Ohio State head coach Ryan Day did for those in the hospital before the game?

Hawkeyes Are 'The Show' in Iowa, Unlike Rest of Big Ten

What was also on display Saturday was that there is nothing that comes close to comparing to Iowa football in the entire state.

When you look at the Big Ten, 16 of the 18 teams play in a state where there is a professional sports team taking away attention.

Not Iowa (or Nebraska).

The Hawkeyes are the only show in town (sorry Iowa State, but facts are facts) and the natives support it in a way that feels truly unique compared to the rest of the conference.

That was evident on Saturday as well, despite the outcome of the contest going heavily in Ohio State's favor.

Nick Shepkowski's Quick Thought

In college football, everything appears to be copycat type stuff from somewhere else these days.

Northwestern opened up its new stadium over the weekend and as unique as it was, it felt like a wannabe NFL venue that just played loud music. It felt like anything but college football.

Iowa football is a throwback in every sense, down to the style of offense played. It also features a state full of fans that for the majority of major college football, are fairly rare this day and age, that understands there is more to life than what happens on that field.

And it has what has become the single greatest tradition in sports at the end of each first quarter.

Like was done at the Field of Dreams site 40 years ago in the movie, is done at Kinnick Stadium each home Saturday. It's a trip back to everything that is right about college sports, and everything that can be again.

And it showed out in a nearly perfect way for the nation to take in this past Saturday.

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