Ohio State travels to Iowa City for the first time since 2010 as the Buckeyes try to keep their chances at the College Football Playoff alive.
A win over Penn State at home put Ohio State in the driver's seat for both a Big Ten title and playoff appearance; however, the Buckeyes opened up at No. 6 in the first CFP rankings of the year.
With that, it is time to get to your questions ahead of Ohio State's matchup against Iowa.
What do you think J.T. Barrett needs to do to take control of the Heisman race this week, and moving forward? Anything in particular you think he needs to show to prove he's the best player right now? - RunEddieRun1983
If Barrett wins out, beats Michigan for a school record fourth time as the starting quarterback and wins a Big Ten title, I have a hard time believing he won't at least get an invite to New York City.
First and foremost, he has to limit his turnovers, which he has done well so far this season. The fact that he has just one interception on the year and is throwing the ball as many times as he is has been very impressive. Protect the football and win out, and Barrett gets a trip to the Big Apple. Should Saquon Barkley and Baker Mayfield both suffer another loss, then I think Barrett becomes the frontrunner.
How difficult will it be to put up 40+ points on Iowa? Will the running game be more important? - Sanantonefan
The running game is always more important, whether it looks that way or not. You might remember early in the win over Penn State that J.K. Dobbins ripped off a few long runs. That opened up everything else in Ohio State's offense for the rest of the game. The same thing applies against Iowa. The run opens up the pass in the Buckeye offense, and that will be even more true against a tough Iowa defense.
I think Ohio State can score 40-plus points because I don't think Iowa's offense will be able to keep its defense off the field. I think the Hawkeyes will get some stops early but eventually will wear down.
Does J.K. Dobbins get shelved again when averaging more than say, eight yards per rush? - TMac
I think this topic has been blown out of proportion all week. People forget that Mike Weber was a 1,000-yard back last season, so it shouldn't come as a surprise that Ohio State went with its more experienced back down the stretch.
Yes, Dobbins is good and probably should have received a few more carries in the win over the Nittany Lions, but you can't go wrong with two running backs in Dobbins and Weber. Ohio State can execute its offense at full capacity with either one on the field. I think the Buckeyes would rather have the more experienced back on the field in crunch time, and you can't fault them for that.
What is more terrifying for an OSU fan to watch: our current kickoff coverage or the 2013 defense "defending" a bubble screen? - OSUBias
For me, it's without question the 2013 defense defending any kind of pass. That secondary was horrible. At least when Ohio State has to kick off now, it means the Buckeyes put some points on the board. Sammy Watkins had a field day on yards after the catch in the 2014 Orange Bowl. That season cost Everett Withers his job. I don't see Urban Meyer telling himself to explore other opportunities because his kickoff unit is bad. Benefits of being the head coach, I guess.
Did you serve Dan a piece of Humble Pie after he picked PSU last week? - Seattle Linga
No, because when Dan left the press box to go down to the field with about six minutes to play, we were both discussing what stories we were going to write, and they weren't exactly stories you would write about a team that just won the biggest game of the year.
For about three quarters, Dan looked like a genius so I didn't say anything. I will say though that someone who shall remain nameless (cough cough, THIS GUY), re-took the lead in the Eleven Warriors season predictions poll with the Ohio State win over Penn State.
With Iowa having more of a pro-style QB, do the Rushmen and company get at least six sacks vs. Iowa? - SoulPatrol32
I don't see six sacks, because I think Iowa will max-protect with a few of their tight ends against Ohio State to try and give Nate Stanley extra time in the pocket to throw. In addition, I think a steady run game will help keep the Buckeye defensive line honest. If I had to predict a number, I would predict four sacks for the Ohio State defense against Iowa.
Has K.J. Hill earned the right to play more over a healthy Parris Campbell? - TURD_BUCKET
Yes. I maintained from the beginning of the year that Ohio State was better off playing Demario McCall at H-back and that K.J. Hill was more of a true wide receiver, and I still say that is the case. Hill has impressed me, but he isn't a true H-back. A true 'H' should be able to carry the ball 5-7 times per game, and Hill just doesn't have that capability.
That said, Hill has proven to be Ohio State's most consistent and perhaps even its most talented wide receiver. Even if he doesn't get carries like a true H-back, I think Hill is more productive and more reliable than Campbell. Campbell is a threat with the ball in his hands, but has struggled with drops throughout his career and his fumble against Penn State only added to his reputation of being unreliable. If healthy, Campbell could be relegated to a kickoff return role and a backup to Hill, who is playing his best football as a Buckeye right now.
Iowa offense - who's the guy you're keeping an eye on? - Hovenaut
The easy answer would be running back Akrum Wadley, but I am going in a different direction.
Tight end Noah Fant is ultra-athletic and could be a threat down field, much like Mike Gesicki is for Penn State. He is a matchup nightmare for linebackers and is easier to lose in the shuffle with Iowa's pro-style offense. Don't sleep on him as a blocker either. Fant is young, but has a very high ceiling and could give Ohio State problems in the middle.
With J.T. and the WR's being on a roll lately, do you see that as a negative for our RB's? Mainly Dobbins getting carries taken away from him so the staff can keep J.T. and our passing game hot? - AlwayzABuckeye614
People seem to keep forgetting Ohio State has a top-20 rush offense in the country. No, I don't see this as a negative for the Buckeye running backs. The improved passing game helps the running game and vice versa. If Barrett continues to play well and hit deep passes, opposing safeties and linebackers will play further off the ball and open up running lanes. And I have full confidence that Kevin Wilson is smart enough to recognize that and continue to pound the football with both Dobbins and Weber.
Looking at Iowa's conference results, I'm baffled by the final scores and margins of victory/loss. Since they share PSU as a common denominator, did Iowa and Ohio State play the "same" team? Or is Iowa a complete mystery week to week? - GOOMBAY
Iowa is only a compete mystery when they play a big-time opponent at home. So this week could get interesting. Put Iowa on the road, and its offense really struggles. Put the Hawkeyes in Kinnick, and anything can happen. It's just the way Kirk Ferentz teams seem to play. I expect Iowa to keep this one close for two-and-a-half quarters, but eventually Ohio State pulls away.
As we head down the stretch vs. pro-style teams does Michael Hill get worked into the rotation this week in the middle? - BuckeyeCrusdader
This is a great question. Yes, I think Ohio State will rotate its defensive tackles more this week because there is a good chance they will be forced to play a more physical brand of football than in past weeks. I would expect Hill and Davon Hamilton to get a few extra reps this week, though Dre'Mont Jones, Tracy Sprinkle and Robert Landers will get the bulk of the reps.
