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Ohio State looks to avenge last road meeting with Iowa

Sep 26, 2006 - 9:27 PM No. 1 Ohio St (4-0) at No. 13 Iowa (4-0), 8:00 pm EDT

IOWA CITY, Iowa (Ticker) - Ohio State hopes its last game in Iowa City was an aberration.

The top-ranked Buckeyes visit No. 13 Iowa on Saturday in a key early Big Ten Conference matchup.

Ohio State had won eight straight meetings against Iowa before getting blown out here in 2004, 33-7. The Buckeyes avenged that defeat with a 31-6 rout in Columbus last year.

The Buckeyes (4-0, 1-0 Big Ten) struggled for much of their contest against Penn State before pulling away for a 28-6 triumph last Saturday.

Heisman Trophy candidate Troy Smith did not have a great performance, but he gave the Buckeyes a 14-3 cushion with an improvised 37-yard touchdown pass to Brian Robiskie early in the fourth quarter. Smith ran to his right to escape pressure, reversed field and fired to Robiskie in the middle of the end zone.

Iowa (4-0, 1-0) opened Big Ten play with a 24-7 triumph at Illinois last weekend.

The game was scoreless until Damian Sims scored on a one-yard run with just under six minutes to go in the first half. Albert Young added a six-yard TD run and Drew Tate found tight end Tony Moeaki for a 35-yard scoring strike to give the Hawkeyes a 21-0 lead entering the break.