Ohio State improved to 4-1 and 2-0 in the Big Ten with a 31-14 victory over Iowa in Kinnick Stadium.
The Buckeyes went in knowing the road environment could be a tough one, and were able to avoid letting the Hawkeyes stay in the game.
Here’s who the Buckeye Sports Bulletin staff is giving Buckeye Leaves.
Sam Cipriani: For his efforts in Ohio State’s rushing attack, I’m giving my Buckeye Leaf to running back Ja’Kobi Jackson.
Though it’s typically been sophomore Bo Jackson coming out first with Ohio State’s offense, Ja’Kobi Jackson took the first three carries of the game for 19 yards as the Buckeyes scored on their first two drives.
Ja’Kobi Jackson finished his day with 14 carries for 72 yards, including a 7-yard fourth-quarter touchdown rush that gave Ohio State a 31-6 lead. Eight of his 13 carries went for 5 or more yards.
Bobby Gorbett: My Buckeye Leaf is going to junior receiver Jeremiah Smith, who broke the program’s remaining receptions and receiving touchdowns records in the win over the Hawkeyes. Smith continued a fantastic start to the season, hauling in 11 passes for 206 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns.
Smith needed a pair of receiving touchdowns to break the record set by former receiver Chris Olave. He was able to claim the record with one of the biggest plays of the game when he went by the Hawkeyes’ secondary to get open deep in Hawkeye territory. Smith caught the pass at the Iowa 14-yard line and went the rest of the way for a 57-yard touchdown
Smith had five catches of at least 15 yards in Ohio State’s win.
Greg Wilson: I’m giving my Buckeye Leaf to junior defensive tackle Eddrick Houston, who hasn’t quite met the expectations that many had for him when he joined the Buckeyes as a coveted five-star recruit in the 2024 class as a defensive end.
But after transitioning to be a three-tech, those past pass-rushing skills may end up being useful for this Ohio State team that has had some issues getting into the backfield.
Houston played with a lot of energy in the win over Iowa, and early on was able to force some pressure on opposing quarterback Hank Brown. Houston finished the game without a sack, but his push against Iowa’s interior line was enough to record two quarterback hurries in a game where he also had four tackles (two solo).
