Welcome to November: Ohio State (7-1) @ Iowa (5-3) from Kinnick Stadium, 2:30 p.m. on ESPN

Iowa City, IA -- The Ohio State Buckeyes (7-1, 5-0 B1G East) travel to Iowa City for a game with the Iowa Hawkeyes (5-3, 2-3 B1G West) on Saturday, with a 2:30 p.m. kickoff on ESPN at historic Kinnick Stadium. It is the first trip to Iowa City for the Buckeyes, since the 20-17 win over the Hawkeyes in 2010.

Iowa TE #87 Jake Duzey during the 2013 game
 broke open for a 85 yard TD reception in 
the last game played in the series.

The last meeting between these two teams was five years ago, in Urban Meyer's second season, in Columbus. The Hawkeyes played strong game for three quarters, but the Buckeyes broke the tie in the fourth quarter for a 34-24 win.

Iowa hasn't won in the series in 13 years, when the Hawkeyes took the Buckeyes down 33-7. Twenty-six years ago this week, the Hawkeyes traveled to Ohio State, after the tragic shooting on campus. The Hawkeyes raised to the occasion, with a 17-13 win, wearing black helmets, in tribute to the victims of the 1991 shooting on campus.

The Ohio State Buckeyes are the top Big Ten team, after the release of the
first rankings for the 2017 season. Iowa plays Ohio State on Saturday and
travels to #9 Wisconsin the following week. Both Iowa and Ohio State have
meet Penn State. Each playing the defending Big Ten champions at home.

The Hawkeyes have already played three Top 25 opponents this season, while the Buckeyes have played two. Iowa is 1-2 and Ohio State is 1-1 against Top 25 opponents in the first CFP rankings.

• On Saturday, Iowa will celebrate a blackout game, wearing alternative uniforms

Iowa senior MLB #43 Josey Jewell displays
the Hawkeyes alternative "blackout" uniforms
for the game with Ohio State on Saturday.

However, in his sixth season at the helm, Meyer has won over 90% of his games, as coach of the Ohio State Buckeyes,so the Hawkeyes will need to play their best game of the season, if they hope to have a chance to spring an upset on one of the top programs in the nation.

This is the fourth season of the College Football Playoff. The Ohio State Buckeyes
and Urban Meyer were the winners of the first trophy, during the 2014 season.

The lone loss this season for the Buckeyes was against Oklahoma, during Week 2, when the Sooners came into Columbus to pull out a 31-16 victory. Former Oklahoma head coach Bob Stoops, the former Iowa safety, was present to root the Sooners onto victory. Due to Stoops' preseason departure in Norman, Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz is now the dean of College Football.

However, in his 19th season as head coach, his 28th overall season, with nine seasons as an offensive line coach, Ferentz has only been a part of three victories over the Ohio State Buckeyes, during the 1983, 1987 and 2004 seasons.

A younger Kirk Ferentz back in 1983, during his third season,
as offensive line coach at Iowa. The Hawkeyes beat #3 Ohio
State 20-14 back in 1983 at Kinnick Stadium.

If the Iowa Hawkeyes are going to have an opportunity on Saturday, the offensive line will have to play more consistently. And, the defense, will have to step up, as well.

As ESPN reports, Ohio State is a clear favorite against the Iowa
Hawkeyes on the road, coming off their biggest win of the season.

However, Ohio State has the #1 scoring offense and #3 scoring defense in the Big Ten. So, there is nearly no margin for error for any opponent of Ohio State, who are coming off a come from behind 39-39 victory over defending Big Ten champion, Penn State. The Hawkeyes have the #4 scoring defense in the Big Ten. It will be a difficult trap to set against a program that has Iowa's number.

The Hawkeyes opened the 2017 Big Ten season, with a heartbreaking 21-19 loss at Kinnick to Penn State, losing on the final play of the game in Week 4.

In one of the better games of the 2017 College Football season,
Penn State caught a TD pass on the final play of the game to
defeat Iowa 21-17 at Kinnick Stadium in Week 4.

Keys to a good game for the Iowa Hawkeyes:

1. Play physical, establish some success and consistency in the trenches ... Urban Meyer talked about it this week. Hopefully, the Hawkeyes can play smart, physical, disciplined football!!!
2. Must play good field position game, which has been a challenge for Iowa, beginning with the ISU game, which nearly 3 of Iowa's TD drives were 90 yards or more; Iowa had horrible field position on the road at MSU, in the 17-10 loss ... special teams is huge against OSU!
3. Explosive plays ... create plays on offense, special teams or through turnovers; on the flip side, you have to keep explosive plays in check, with the Buckeyes, making them play a patient, methodical game ...
4. Set up the running game, with the a solid passing game. 
5. Sophomore QB Nate Stanley and the young Iowa players on offense and in the kicking game must step up ...

Prediction

• Iowa Hawkeyes 20
• Ohio State 19

Sometimes you have to dream B1G. Ohio State likely wins this game 9 out of 10 times played. Make the moment count ...