A huge Big Ten matchup will feature two ranked teams when Ohio State travels west to Iowa.

The two teams will clash on Sunday, October 4, with the game scheduled to kick off at 05:30 AEST.

Quick Picks

Our pick: Ohio State to win

Value bet: Iowa in the handicap

Long shot: Ohio State by 1-13 Pts market

Betting Preview

There are a whole host of aspects to consider ahead of this huge Big Ten clash – which is why this showdown is an intriguing one.

The two teams are already ranked by the Associated Press, which suggests how well they’ve been doing this season and how strong they are.

The Ohio State Buckeyes have the higher rating, as they are considered number 5 in the country, while the Iowa Hawkeyes are rated at 14.

But Iowa holds a better record this season than their opponents, and have managed to go unbeaten in their opening four games (4-0). They are also coming off a massive, emotional 20-19 road upset win against Michigan.

The Buckeyes lost their first game of the season to the number 1-ranked Texas Longhorns, but have since bounced back with comprehensive victories over unranked Kent State (59-3) and unranked Illinois (42-19).

In Big Ten Conference play, both teams are 1-0. More interestingly, Ohio State are 0-1 in their only away game so far this season and they definitely won’t have fond memories of their last trip to Iowa.

In a famous meeting back in 2017, an unranked Iowa squad stunned No. 5 Ohio State in a 55-24 blowout.

Betting Markets to Watch

Betting odds have Ohio State as the big favourite despite that shock defeat (albeit nine years ago). The price perhaps reflects that Ohio State leads the all-time series 48-15-3, while they also comprehensively won the last matchup 35-7 in Columbus back in 2024.

There is potentially better value in the handicap market with the Iowa (+13.5) outcome. The number gives you room for a two-touchdown Ohio State win to still be a push, and Iowa’s defence has allowed just eight points per game while holding opponents to 239.8 yards per game.

Ohio State has a stronger offence (45 points and 522 yards per game), but Iowa’s defence has been stingy so far.

By extension, there’s also value in the Under 45.5 points line in the total points market. Iowa’s defence has allowed just eight points per game through four games, and the Hawkeyes held Michigan to 19 last week.

Iowa’s own offence managed only 58 rushing yards in that win, which could make it difficult to contribute enough points to push the total over.

Buckeyes quarterback Julian Sayin has been throwing the ball a lot, but the under 277.5 passing yards market could offer value. Sayin is averaging 301.5 yards per game, but Iowa has only allowed around 111 passing yards per game.

He also threw for 367 yards against Illinois, which will have hugely inflated his average.

Our Prediction

Check the latest Iowa vs Ohio State betting odds at Sportsbet.

Our top prediction is for the Buckeyes to be likely winners.

Long shot value is in the Ohio State by 1-13 Pts market, as we noted with our handicap explanation above.

If you enjoy weighing up the week's games like this, there are plenty more NFL tips and predictions to explore across our coverage.