If you can believe it, there was some promise early for Iowa at No. 2 Ohio State. In fact, the Hawkeyes led 7-3 after Joe Evans sacked Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud, jarred the football loose and then picked it up himself and rumbled 11 yards into the end zone.
As has typified the Hawkeyes’ end to last season and all of 2022, though, the Iowa offense was the defense’s undoing. The first play from scrimmage saw a Spencer Petras pass intercepted by Ohio State safety Tanner McCalister. Before the first half was finished, Petras was sacked and fumbled to end another drive with a turnover and he threw a pick-six that Ohio State linebacker Tommy Eichenberg ran back.
The Hawkeye defense did all it could in the first half to keep Iowa close. For one reason or another, four different first-half Ohio State drives started in Iowa territory. Those four possessions all ended with a Buckeyes field goal.
The long awaited change at quarterback finally came to start the second half for the Hawkeyes. After Iowa linebacker Jack Campbell picked off Stroud to set up the Hawkeyes’ first offensive possession of the second half, in came backup quarterback Alex Padilla. It did not go well.
The first offensive snap from scrimmage for Padilla in 2022 was a fumbled exchange between center and quarterback that Ohio State pounced on. Padilla was intercepted on Iowa’s next drive and finished just 5-of-10 passing for 32 yards. Iowa didn’t score in the second half.
Naturally, the national media, local media and, of course, Iowa Hawkeyes fans had plenty to react to during what wound up as a 54-10 blowout loss at Ohio State. Here were the best social media reactions from Iowa’s frustrating trip to the Horseshoe.