Buckeyes Hang On To Beat Iowa 20-17

Offense:  B

A hectic scoring drive near the end of the game raised the Buckeye offensive grade. Terrelle Pryor led a 12 play, 76 yard drive that allowed the Buckeyes to take the lead on one yard Boom Herron's touchdown run. Pryor's clutch 14 yard run on a 4^th and ten extended the game after DeVier Posey dropped a sure touchdown pass.

The Buckeye offense scraped out 353 yards on 69 plays (5.12 yards per play), with Pryor accounting for 77% of it.  Boom Herron was not especially effective on the ground, for the first time in a few games. He had 69 yards on 20 carries (3.5 yards per carry) with a touchdown, and he added five receptions for 30 yards.

Ohio State's offense was Pryor-centered, a departure from the I-formation, Herron-heavy gameplans of past weeks. The first half was not successful with this style because of poor throws by Pryor and a number of drops by the receiving corp. The second half, however, was a vast improvement, with the coaches adjusting by calling more run/pass option plays (roll and sprint out passing) to involve Pryor's athleticism as a factor.

Iowa's defense is excellent, which makes the first half struggles understandable but still not excusable. For the past two games the Buckeye offense has been slow to start the game, and that must improve against Michigan.

Defense: A

It looked dicey for a little bit in the first quarter, when Iowa quarterback Ricky Stanzi tossed a 19 yard touchdown pass to Marvin McNutt, but the Buckeyes defense buckled down and held the Hawkeyes to 276 yards on 56 plays (4.9 yards per play).  The defense's true value was revealed, though, in situational defense late in the game. When Ohio State absolutely needed a stop, the defense three-and-outed Iowa to get the ball back. When the defense needed to end the game, they four-and-outed Iowa on the very next drive.

Linebackers Brian Rolle and Ross Homan both had fantastic games, with Rolle earning Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week honors.

Special Teams: A

Ohio State's coverage units blanketed the Hawkeyes, and punt returner Jordan Hall provided solid field position throughout the day, although none were individually notable. Ultimately, though, special teams did provide the difference between Ohio State and Iowa. Each team had exactly ten possessions in the game, with the difference in possession efficiency separating the team. Placekicker Devin Barclay's two field goals bested Iowa kicker Mike Meyer, whose missed 40 field goal attempt in the second quarter ended up as the final point differential. Barclay's career long 48 yard field goal in the fourth quarter kept the Buckeyes within one score of victory, an opportunity they took advantage of on their next possession.

Players of the Game: Brian Rolle and Devin Barclay. Rolle was everywhere and led the team in tackles, while Barclay's two field goals has created a tradition of Ohio State kickers crushing the hopes and dreams of Iowa Hawkeye fans on an annual basis. Both players have participated in their last road game as Buckeyes, and we wish them the best in their last home game against Michigan on Saturday.

Buckeyes quarterback Terrelle Pryor rallied his team from behind, and Dan Herron scored the game-winning touchdown with under two minutes remaining as No. 8 Ohio State emerged with a 20-17 win over No. 21 Iowa.

Pryor passed for 195 yards and rushed for 78 more, including a key 14-yard scramble for first down on the go-ahead drive. But it was Herron’s bruising one-yard touchdown run with 1:47 on the clock that gave the Buckeyes their fourth straight win and kept them in a tie for the conference lead.

Ohio State (10-1, 6-1 Big Ten) remained knotted with Wisconsin and Michigan State atop the standings.

Iowa (7-4, 4-3) suffered its second straight loss and fell two games back in the Big Ten.

A frustrated Pryor pulled his helmet off and stared at the ground after DeVier Posey dropped a 50-yard pass in the right side of the end zone, letting a sure TD slip through his hands.

But his bitterness quickly turned to jubilation during a go-ahead drive that was saved for the Buckeyes by their slippery quarterback.

Pryor scrambled 14 yards for a first down two plays after Posey’s drop, setting up the rest of a 76-yard drive that culminated in Herron’s burst over the goal line to make it 20-17 Ohio State with 1:47 remaining in the game.

Iowa failed to convert a 4th-and-21 on the ensuing possession, all but ending the game.

1.       Senior Night. No matter who the opponent is, Senior Night is always an emotionally charged event for the home team. Iowa's 26 seniors are playing their final home game in Kinnick Stadium, and while they cannot win the Big Ten, they can still spoil Ohio State's chances. It will be a rowdy environment, much like the one at Camp Randall in October, and that could play into Iowa's favor heavily.

2.       Ohio State's offensive line vs. Iowa's defensive line. The Buckeye front five have exerted their will on opponent's the past few weeks, yet they face their stiffest test against Iowa this weekend. Defensive linemen Adrian Clayborn, Christian Ballard, Mike Daniels, and Karl Klug form one of the finest groups in the country. Clayborn is almost assuredly a first round pick in April's NFL draft, and Klug is one of the most tenacious defensive tackles you will ever find. The group as a whole does an excellent job controlling the line of scrimmage, allowing Iowa's linebackers to make plays. They are by far the best unit on the Hawkeye defense, and if the Bucks want to move the ball, they will have to start by moving the front four.

3.       Terrelle Pryor. The defensive strategies that have given Ohio State the most trouble this season have been two deep zones designed to make it difficult for Pryor to pass. Iowa's defense is almost exclusively based on two deep coverages, so Pryor must be patient on Saturday. Look for Ohio State to continue to run Pryor on the inverted veer play, which they debuted last weekend against Penn State. By utilizing Pryor as a runner, Ohio State can gain a numbers advantage against two deep coverages, thereby forcing Iowa to make a decision: either run the risk of giving up huge yardage against veer, or alter your coverages to get an extra man in the box. No matter what happens, Ohio State wins by forcing Iowa to adapt to their strategy, instead of the other way around.

4.     Ricky Stanzi. Just as Terrelle Pryor will hold the key to Ohio State offensive success on Saturday, so too will Ricky Stanzi hold the key to Iowa offensive success.  Stanzi has put together a fine year, improving on his junior campaign in virtually every category. With an improvement of ten points in his completion percentage, the Americanzi is performing at an all-time high. Stanzi, a native of Mentor, has improved most, though, in his reduction of crippling offensive mistakes. After tossing 15 interceptions a year ago, Stanzi has only thrown four this season for an excellent interception percentage of 1.4%. If Ohio State can coerce the junior Stanzi out of hibernation, it will go a long way towards a Buckeye victory.

5.       The 4^th Quarter.  All three of Iowa's losses have included poor 4^th quarter play. Against Arizona, a poor 4^th quarter derailed the comeback effort ; against Wisconsin, poor 4^th quarter play allowed Wisconsin to scrape by with a one point victory; against Northwestern, poor 4^th quarter play cost them a ten point lead and, ultimately, a victory. If the game is close going into the 4^th quarter, Ohio State fans should take comfort from recent history.