Iowa Football Keys to Victory vs Ohio State: Just Get to the 4th Quarter

So, how do the Iowa Hawkeyes actually do this thing and pull off the upset against the Ohio State Buckeyes?

I mean, really, what's the path for Iowa's upset to come to fruition? It's not as simple as beating Ohio State at their own game, which is an offensive shootout. Iowa isn't built for that. The Hawkeyes have to go full Iowa in this one and try to create chaos.

Momentum is real. Don't listen to anyone who says otherwise. In college football, momentum can be weaponized, and a rocking Kinnick Stadium has to legitimately be part of the plan for Iowa.

Find a score or two via defense or special teams

Iowa is quite possibly better than any team in America at creating something out of nothing just when it needs it. Look at Braeden Jackson's kickoff return touchdown last week. It sparked Iowa. The same has to happen this week.

It doesn't have to be a direct score from one of these units, although a pick-six or scoop-and-score from the defense certainly wouldn't hurt. It could be creating a turnover deep in Ohio State territory that leads to points.

It could be a kickoff or punt return that sets Iowa up with a short field. Whatever it is, these units have to find a way to gift wrap points to the offense.

Do whatever it takes to get this to the fourth quarter

The longer Iowa can linger in this game, the tighter Ohio State gets. The Buckeyes are supposed to come into Kinnick and run away with this thing with their more talented roster, better recruits, and larger NIL fund.

Get this game to halftime close by avoiding the knockout blows early, then find a way to navigate a third quarter of halftime adjustments. Force Ohio State into a tight game, as we all saw what happened against Texas a few weeks ago, and take your chances.

Create your own momentum

Kinnick Stadium has to be involved in this game for all four quarters. It has to be a factor in making life hard for Ohio State. It can happen a few ways, a couple of which the Hawkeyes can control.

The first way is Iowa being aggressive. This doesn't mean reckless. There is a distinction there. Pending the flow of the game, which should determine these choices, Iowa should be willing to take its shots on a fourth down if the opportunity presents itself.

The other way is trying to steal a possession with a big special teams play. It could be a surprise onside kick, a fake punt, a fake field goal, or something. You catch my drift. The biggest thing about this is that it has to be perfectly timed. For as good as it can work out, the deflating effect it could have could be twice as bad.

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