UPDATE (10:20pm): Final score--Ohio State 38, Iowa 17. Ohio State is really, really good.
UPDATE (10:08pm): The third big mistake. Drew Tate tries to throw it through an Ohio State linebacker's hands. He tipped it up to himself. 6 minutes to go and Ohio State has the ball on Iowa's 13. Iowa could have won this game. But they couldn't win it giving away the ball three times.
UPDATE (10:00pm): The second big mistake. Iowa's defense holds. But then Iowa's senior TE Scott Chandler fumbled the ball after a catch on the Ohio State 47. 9 minutes to go.
UPDATE (9:48pm): Touchdown Iowa puts the game within reach at 31-17. Now the defense needs to step up. Iowa's offense has foregone in this game a couple of staples: the naked bootlet rollout and the wide receiver screen. Interesting.
UPDATE (9:40pm): The 3rd quarter--That was a great team playing great football. Iowa's bend but don't break defense works against most teams because most teams make mistakes and don't have running backs that can consistently get 5-6 yards. Ohio State doesn't make mistakes, has a good offensive line, and has Pittman and Wells playing running back.
UPDATE (9:15pm): The second half started inadquately. Ohio State nickled-and-dimed Iowa down the field until an incredible 30-yard catch and run by Gonzalez put the Buckeyes up 28-10. Then Iowa got a nice first down pass to Scott Chandler on its drive, but Drew Tate still isn't completely accurate on his throws, and Iowa punted on its first second half possession. We're getting to the point where Iowa isn't going to be able to do much running the ball.
UPDATE (8:30pm): A disappointing sequent to end the first half. Midway through the 2nd quarter, Iowa gained the ball at the 50, but then went three-and-out. Ohio State followed that with a methodical drive down the field for its third touchdown. Iowa got the ball back with 2 minutes to go in the half, but Drew Tate led his receiver a bit too much on a third down pass that would have put Iowa close to field goal range. Halftime score: 21-10 Ohio State. Right now, Iowa's defense is giving up too many rushing yards, but is playing good pass defense. Drew Tate is not yet playing the hero. He enters halftime 8-for-22 for 113 yards.
UPDATE (8:10pm): That's what I'm talking about. On Iowa's fifth possession, Iowa started running the ball again, first with backup Damian Sims (3 carries, 33 yards) and then Albert Young finishes it off with a 15 yard touchdown run. Other teams, save Cincinnati, have been able to run against Ohio State. Iowa can, too.
UPDATE (8:00pm): Tate makes the first mistake. As Herbstreit said, Tate telegraphed a pass deep down the middle, leading to an easy interception. Does offensive coordinator Ken O'Keefe not believe that Iowa can rush against Ohio State? Three Antonio Pittman rushes later, 30 yards and a touchdown for Ohio State. 14-3 Buckeyes.
UPDATE (7:50pm): Iowa's third possession was four passes and no rushes. Unfortunately, the final three passes went nowhere. Strange, given that Iowa had at least a few running plays on its second drive that gained 4-5 yards.
UPDATE (7:45pm): Iowa holds Ohio State to a three-and-out on its second possession. With Ohio State punting on its own 16, I would have like to have seen Iowa go for the punt block. Instead, a 54-yard-punt with just a 2 yard return after returner Andy Brodell slipped.
UPDATE (7:35pm): Iowa gets a field goal on its second possession. 7-3 Ohio State. Iowa caught a huge 3rd and 5 break with a pass interference call. Kirk Herbstreit was right: there really wasn't interference on the play. Drew Tate and Dominique Douglas are off on their timing right now on their 10-yard hook plays.
UPDATE (7:25pm): Ohio State with 3rd and 9 on the Iowa 12 on its first drive. Iowa blitzed two! Iowa hardly ever blitzes. Touchdown on the slant in for Gonzalez.
UPDATE (7:15pm): First run and two Ohio State defensive lineman were in the backfield. That's bad. And Drew Tate starts 0-2 passing. Punt.
Dusk has hit in Iowa. Kinnick Stadium is a sea of yellow. Lee Corso is the only national commentator (that I've seen) picking the Hawkeyes to win. Here we go.
