Game 11- #11 Ohio State (8-2, 5-1) vs #10 Iowa (9-1, 5-1)

Where: Ohio Stadium

When: 3:30 EST

TV: ABC Regional

If OSU beats Iowa, they are going to Pasadena, CA.

That sounds amazing considering how the Buckeyes looked in their loss on the road to Purdue back in the beginning of October. The team could have gone one direction, and instead went in the positive on, as most Tressel coached teams do (anyone else want Tress to get fired?). Now that things are going relatively well for the Buckeyes, despite a banged up offensive line and Terrelle Pryor, it is safe to say that they should very well be the favorites when they play Iowa this weekend. This isn't just because when an Ohio State team gets hot they are very tough to beat, but also because Iowa is starting their fourth string running back, their back up quarterback, and lost a key offensive lineman for the year as well. They still have their defense, but the injury bug really hit the Hawkeyes where it hurts on offense.

I think that Iowa is a good team with a physical defense that makes plays, and an offensive line that has been pushing people around all season long. I just don't think that outside of WR McNutt and TE Moeaki that they have a single big time play maker to hang with the Buckeyes. In Columbus right now, Pryor is playing better, Posey is becoming the star that many people thought he would be, the offensive line is improving, and the defense remains one of the nastiest in the country. This is just a side note, but do you notice the correlation between how young this team is on offense (mainly sophomores) and how they are beginning to hit their strides at the end of their second year in school? They may be some of the best recruits in the country, but they are human and maybe needed to be humbled in their road loss to Purdue to focus on how they can continue to improve. By the end of this season, and going into 2010, this team will be scary good.

In the mean time though, OSU still needs to win to secure a trip to the Rose Bowl, and they will do just that. Iowa just can't hang with Ohio State in the points category, and come Saturday it would take a monumental defensive effort out of Kirk Ferentz's to knock off the home favorites.

Considering Iowa has only one loss on the season, I am extremely confident and the team is highly focused. I like that combination. Ohio State struggles a little early but then gets into a flow on their way to Ann Arbor and then to Pasadena as the Big Ten champs with a big win over Iowa.

Prediction:

Ohio State- 31

Iowa- 13

5 straight Big Ten championships. Wow. I can only think of one thing that would make this season even more rosy: BEAT MICHIGAN!