Iowa’s Phil Parker addresses challenges containing No. 2 Ohio State

IOWA CITY, Iowa (KCRG) - Fresh of their bye weeks, the Iowa football team will visit Ohio State for their first meeting since 2017.

The last one panned out well for the Hawkeyes as they took down the Buckeyes 55-24. Iowa had four interceptions in that game and scored 17 points off Ohio State turnovers.

Heading into this week’s meeting, Iowa’s defense ranks among the top ten in the nation. However, the Buckeyes’ offense is currently averaging nearly 50 points a game and leads the country in offensive touchdowns with 41.

“You’ve got to practice well, you have to play well and you have to be in the right spots. You have to have eye discipline just like any other game. You have to play with great leverage,” Iowa defensive coordinator Phil Parker said. “I think leverage is a word that we throw around, but leverage goes from everything about your base alignment. If three or four guys go over this way, well, you better -- that’s the enemy. Let’s move our troops over there. If they go the other way, you switch it over. You got to know how to line up and make sure you’re leveraging the formations and leverage the ball when you are going to tackle it. You have to play with leverage when you are defeating blocks. That’s what you do.”

Ohio State (6-0) has won each of their seven matchups against Iowa (3-3) at home. Kickoff on Saturday is set for 11 A.M.

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