Nick Saban Heavily Praises Ohio State Ahead of Iowa Showdown

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In what should be one of the games from the upcoming college football schedule this weekend, the Ohio State Buckeyes will be heading on the road to face the Iowa Hawkeyes.

Ohio State comes into the game ranked No. 5 in the country, while the Hawkeyes are currently the No. 14 team in the nation. Both sides understand how crucial this game will be for both the Big Ten and the potential College Football Playoff standings.

The Buckeyes are coming off a big win over the Illinois Fighting Illini, while Iowa took down the Michigan Wolverines on the road. 

Entering this game, the Buckeyes have very little margin for error since they have already dropped a game this season. But Ohio State enters the game with a lot of confidence, ready to prove themselves once again.

Former Alabama head coach and now current college football analyst Nick Saban is buying what the Buckeyes are selling entering this game. Saban was very complimentary of Ohio State, saying that he believes that they are one of the most complete teams in the country.

Saban said that even in the loss to Texas, the team just got tired late in the game, but they are still great. With this, Saban thinks that Iowa is going to have a tough time trying to defend the highly explosive Ohio State attack.

Saban understands how to win these big games, and he is the perfect person for the Buckeyes to be listening to. The former head coach sees how talented this Ohio State group is, being led by star quarterback Julian Sayin and wide receiver Jeremiah Smith.

Smith has been special this season, giving the Buckeyes everything that they could have ask for. The Hawkeyes will have their hands full with him, but Iowa may try to force Ohio State to pass the ball more.

Iowa hasn’t allowed a rushing touchdown in 2026, and Ohio State will be trying to break through in this game. But having Smith does give the Buckeyes an advantage in this game, and he could end up being the difference-maker.

Playing in Iowa can be tough for any team, and the Hawkeyes do have a strong defensive unit. But the Ohio State offense should be able to do damage, and if they can break through, this team could earn one of the bigger wins of the season.

Kickoff between the Buckeyes and Hawkeyes is scheduled for 12:30 p.m. PT/3:30 p.m. ET from Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City.

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