(Ed. note: This was written at 11 p.m. last night and not posted until today.)
Well, that was … uh … that was, positively, well … ugh.
It’s disappointing. Iowa came into today riding a cheerful wave of all the pomp and circumstance in college football’s world. A huge, nationally televised, ABC game against the number one team in America. The entire ESPN production universe complimenting the sea of gold, the Kinnick atmosphere, and the all-day excitement of an Iowa game.
And what do the Hawkeyes do?
They completely fumble, muff, and punt their chance away. There’s no excuse.
As Iowa fans, we can put up with some of the TV-induced hokey, stereotypical “These gutty kids from the heartland work hard,” as some analysts suggested the Hawkeyes aren’t actually one of the top football programs in the country. Hawkeye fans lived with all that. Willing to revel in the atmosphere, but shrug off the hype – we happen to know that Hawkeye football is always pretty good.
Sure, it may not be the talent factory Ohio State is – but Iowa is certainly on the same plane as Ohio State, Michigan, and the rest of elite football in America. Looking at the final score this morning, most of the lazy, meathead sports world is going to scoff, point, and assume that Iowa was just another bump in the road.
Well, they’re not. They’re a good football team. Good enough to win the Big Ten, still, with some help, and good enough to beat the rest of the teams they face. Yes, even Michigan on the road. Good enough to the point where mistakes shouldn’t be an option, a fear, or an outcome at all.
Tonight, they were. The Hawkeyes failed themselves. Their mistakes killed them.
All season long, they’ve been able to flip the switch – against Syracuse while undermanned (a win which is looking better each week), against an Illinois team that’s a joke, but actually possesses some young talent, and against a game Iowa State team.
All of Hawkeye Nation knew they wouldn’t be able to flip the switch tonight. Against good teams, you can’t toss away chances to score without expecting them to come back to haunt. And the talent, desire, and game plans – well, they all were there. No reason exists why Iowa couldn’t win. None – the two teams were surprisingly (to most people) even.
I take nothing from Ohio State. They are a very good, very balanced football team – and to me, they’re actually more scary on offense than their national championship team of 2002. They’re certainly good and poised enough to win it all.
But Iowa’s game plan was completely correct. Iowa’s young secondary wasn’t able to man against OSU’s receiving corps, the world knew that. Cripes, Iowa’s secondary is its weak point every year.
But the line and linebackers were able to drop enough, tackle enough, and stunt to confuse the passing game – if resulting in minimal quarterback pressure. They would bend but not break, like always. That’s Iowa’s defense. And they were completely prepared for the Ohio State offense. Without turnovers, 24 points would have been reasonable – and that’s what Iowa’s D was responsible for.
The offense had to be sharp – effective, efficient, and innovative. And, honestly, the game plan actually was. The plays were there – receivers down the middle, shifting pocket plasses, and cutback running plays. They all were there. What the offense couldn’t do, under any circumstances – was make mistakes.
But first, Iowa took the ball in the first half. I don’t know how, under any circumstances, this is a good idea. It’s not overtime. It’s the first half. Let OSU come out with the jitters. Not Iowa’s precision attack.
After a three-and-out, Ohio State scored early, but the Hawkeyes battled back. Until a drive stalled, because of a Young drop, a Scott Chandler drop, and a Douglas drop. The Hawks settled for a field goal. They could move the ball. Their offense was working. Until the drops.
But the defense fought again, holding Ohio State. Down 7-3, Iowa got the ball back. The crowd was nuts.
Then Tate, refusing to look off a wide-open Grigsby, promptly launched a horrid interception. Just abysmal. Gave Ohio State a 30-yard field, and good teams always capitalize on that. The Buckeyes scored.
Iowa has a chance to score before the half – the drive stalls midfield, as a result of a Chandler drop and a fullback drop. Because of the decision to take the ball, Iowa needed to score before half.
Ohio State, out of the gates, marched down the field. As for Iowa?
Drive stalled at the Ohio State 40. Yes, it was a result of a dropped pass. 4th and four. What, say it with me, down 18 points — what should you never do in this situation?
That’s right, punt. Boom goes the kick, and Ohio State proceeds to chew up the rest of the third quarter before settling for a field goal. Iowa had a grand total of 7 plays in the quarter, or something horrendous like that. Punting is an admission of defeat.
Now, Iowa’s on national TV, I realize, but attempting to hold down the margin of victory is never an option for a program like the Hawkeyes.’ Lose by 40 if you must, but never, ever, ever, never, launch a mincing punt in opposition territory when you have to have a touchdown, and desperately need the momentum. For a team better in short-field defense anyway, this was inexcusable.
Normally, I’d say game over. But down 21 points after the kick, Iowa marched down the field itself. Converted two fourth downs (Oh, so now it’s urgent?), one for a touchdown. The defense holds OSU to a three and out – and the Hawkeye crowd is back.
Then another dropped pass – a fumble, actually. And Ohio State converts the TD.
Drew Tate launched another awful pick after that (This is a pattern on the season, so far), but the game was already out of reach.
And thus the disappointment. Ugh. The refusal to defer, the dropped passes, the turnovers. Ohio State played nearly flawless – but the Hawkeyes had all the chances in the world to pull off the victory.
Ohio State a juggernaut? Maybe. But Iowa wasn’t that far off. And that is what makes Saturday’s loss all the more difficult to take.
Mistakes. Ugh. Thought we were past this. Maybe that’s the hardest of all.
