To say nothing went right for Iowa against Ohio State might be an understatement.
Aside from a late touchdown drive led by Jeremy Hecklinski, the offense was poor, and the defense wasn't much better. For the second straight week, the Hawkeyes' defense allowed over 400 yards, as Julian Sayin and the Buckeyes' offense carved them up. No game is easy in the Big Ten, especially against one of the top teams in college football, and Iowa has little time to bounce back. Iowa's next game is in Seattle against the Washington Huskies on Friday, and Jayden Montgomery knows it won't be easy.
Jayden Montgomery isn't letting his teammates get down after a tough loss
The vibes surrounding the team were extremely high heading into the Ohio State game, but they got a harsh dose of reality in week five. With "The Pat McAfee Show" and "College GameDay" on campus, everyone was hyped for the top-15 contest at Kinnick. That hype quickly turned to dread as the Buckeyes proved why they are ranked No. 5 in college football, leaving Iowa with some soul-searching to do. Although it was a tough home loss, it is still early, and veteran leader Jayden Montgomery won't let one game determine the rest of the season.
Asked Iowa linebacker Jayden Montgomery what his message would be to the team. His reply:
— Chad Leistikow🆑 (@ChadLeistikow) October 4, 2026
“Walking into the locker room, I just told everyone to keep their head up. This is one game; it doesn't define us. And then I also mentioned that we’ve got a short week, so it's going to…
As a fifth-year player, Montgomery has earned his teammates' respect, especially after his journey to becoming a starter. Before last season, Montgomery was primarily a reserve, but worked his way into the starting lineup. His words carry a lot of weight, and he had a powerful message to his teammates after the 31-14 loss to Ohio State. He told everyone to keep their heads up, and it's one game; it doesn't define who they are. Montgomery also said he knows next week is a short week and it will be tough, but they need to buy in even more than before. They can't afford to dwell on this loss and need to stay focused heading into a short week.
Montgomery has been through many ups and downs throughout his Iowa career, and he knows how to respond after a loss. His message to the team comes at a perfect time, and he is exactly right. Iowa can't let one bad loss turn into two, and they must remain focused on the future, not the past. The program doesn't have the benefit of a normal week to pick itself up, and if they let the loss linger, it could spiral downward. The last two games have been an emotional roller coaster for everyone involved, and while the energy surrounding the program dipped slightly, there is still time to fix some of the issues.
Iowa has the pieces to be successful, they simply need to execute better
Phil Parker is sitting on his hands and waiting for the defense's issues to fix themselves before a road game against Washington. Iowa's biggest problem is its inability to pressure the quarterback, and it showed up again against Ohio State. Quarterback Julian Sayin had all day to throw the ball, giving the Buckeyes' lethal passing attack way too much time to thrive. Iowa found success with blitzes, and that might have to continue in week six.
Another way to address the issues is to shuffle some players on the line. Joseph Anderson has been primarily a reserve this season, but has made the most of his time on the field. He racked up a sack and a tackle for loss in limited duty against Ohio State, showing why he needs more snaps. Bryce Hawthorne has been Iowa's best defensive lineman, and he hasn't gotten much help from Iose Epenesa, Will Hubert, and Kenneth Merrieweather early in the season. Anderson, along with transfer Kahmari Brown, has done damage when they have been in the game, and it's time for them to be in there more.
The defensive line unit was one of the hardest-hit units after last season, replacing all four starters, and that inexperience has been a big problem early this year. If the defense can't pressure the quarterback, they have to use linebackers and defensive backs to help with blitzes, something Parker doesn't like to do very often. It all starts up front, and the front four simply aren't getting it done. Iowa is very talented at linebacker and in the secondary, but they haven't been allowed to reach their full potential. When safety Zach Lutmer is consistently getting tackles, that isn't good because it signals he's creeping forward to help the front.
Parker is way smarter than any of us armchair coaches, but we can all see something has to change after giving up 429 total yards to Michigan and 484 to Ohio State. No one is panicking yet, but if this continues against a struggling Washington squad, the alarm bells will start to go off.
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