Buckeyes’ hopes for playoffs take a hit

Iowa’s Stanley throws five touchdown passes and Hawkeyes pull off another big upset.

IOWA CITY — Big Ten teams with national title hopes should know by now to be wary of Kinnick Stadium in November.

The Ohio State Buckeyes weren't — and their playoff aspirations are likely cooked because of it.

Nate Stanley threw for 226 yards and five touchdowns, and Iowa throttled sixth-ranked Ohio State 5524 on Saturday, dealing what's likely to be a fatal blow to the Buckeyes' hopes of reaching college football's Final Four.

Josh Jackson added three interceptions for the Hawkeyes (6-3, 3-3), who beat their fourth top-five opponent in their last five tries at home. Iowa also knocked off unbeaten teams Michigan (2016) and Penn State (2008) in the regular season's final month.

“I didn't see any signs. Usually I see signs and if I do I address them,” Meyer said when asked if his team suffered a letdown after an emotional 39-38 win over Penn State last week.

Iowa went up 7-0 on the game's first play — a pick-six of J.T. Barrett — and raced out to a 31-17 halftime lead on a pair of Stanley touchdown passes to Noah Fant.

“Our guys played with a lot of heart and toughness,” Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said.

Ohio State (7-2, 5-1) allowed its most points in a game under Meyer, and Barrett had a career-high four interceptions.

“They were baiting him that's their coverage,” Meyer said. “We just didn't play very well.”

Defensive end Nick Bosa was also ejected for targeting in the first half, and the Buckeyes committed nine penalties in their most lopsided defeat since last year's 31-0 loss to eventual national champion Clemson in the playoff semifinal.

“We just tried to go out and play with confidence,” Jackson said.

It’s almost impossible to see a path that takes the two-loss Buckeyes to the playoff. All Ohio State can do now is win out — and blow out an unbeaten Wisconsin in the league title game like in 2014 — and hope that enough chaos has broken out across the country that a two-loss team might get a look from the committee.