Ohio State vs. Iowa Recap: Jeremiah Smith 206 Yards Cash Both Alts

Ohio State beat Iowa 31-14, and the game went about the way our pregame read said it would: a grind first, then a pull-away. The Buckeyes led just 10-6 after the first quarter and 17-6 at the half, with the only second-quarter points coming on a 9-play, 84-yard drive that ended with 12 seconds left before the break. The second half was where the gap opened. Ohio State finished with 484 total yards to 238 for Iowa, won the turnover battle 2-0 and held the ball for 38:02. Four DARIMARKET plays cashed on this game.

What cashed

Ohio State ML (-625 at DraftKings): CASHED - Our read: Ohio State came in as a 14.5-point favorite with Julian Sayin and Jeremiah Smith both playing well. Iowa had been allowing 8 points a game, so we expected a grind rather than a rout. - What happened: Ohio State won by 17. Iowa got two Caden Buhr field goals in the first quarter, but did not reach the end zone until 9:30 left in the fourth, when the Buckeyes already led 31-6. Iowa ran for 39 yards on 21 carries. - Worth watching: At this price the moneyline only makes sense as a piece of something bigger. The read on a slow, low-scoring start held up, which is worth remembering for first-half angles in games like this.

ALT: Julian Sayin 225+ passing yards (alt, targeted -170 to -200): CASHED - Our read: Sayin had four straight games over 240 passing yards, was averaging 10+ yards per attempt, and had Smith as a target Iowa would struggle to cover one-on-one. - What happened: Sayin completed 20 of 27 passes for 324 yards, 3 TD and 0 INT, clearing the line by 99.5 yards. That is 12.0 yards per attempt against a defense that had been allowing 152 passing yards a game. - Worth watching: Sayin has now gone over 240 in five straight. Stepping down the ladder to 225 left plenty of room, and that approach still looks sensible against tougher pass defenses.

ALT: Jeremiah Smith 60+ receiving yards (alt, targeted -170 to -200): CASHED - Our read: Smith had posted 151, 164, 85 and 217 yards. Iowa holds teams to 152 passing yards a game, so we went far down the ladder instead of sitting near his average. - What happened: Smith caught 11 passes for 206 yards and 2 TD, clearing 59.5 by 146.5. His 12-yard touchdown with 12 seconds left in the first half made it 17-6, and his 57-yard score in the third quarter made it 24-6. - Worth watching: The low rung was built for a tough matchup and it had a lot of cushion. It is the safer way to play Smith when the defense on paper looks strong.

ALT: Jeremiah Smith 100+ receiving yards (alt, targeted -170 to -200): CASHED - Our read: With 33 catches and 7 TD through four games and a main line around 123.5, we liked 100 as a number that still left room for a slower game at Kinnick. - What happened: The same 206-yard day cleared 99.5 by 106.5. Smith accounted for 206 of Sayin's 324 passing yards, and his long of 57 went for a touchdown. - Worth watching: Smith now has four of five games at 151 yards or more. When the books hang a main line in the 120s, a rung at 100 gives up some price in exchange for a real cushion.

How the game played out

Iowa's first drive ended in a fumble, and Ohio State turned it into a 15-yard touchdown pass from Sayin to Devin McCuin two plays later. The Hawkeyes kept it close with field goals of 43 and 48 yards. After halftime, the Buckeyes scored on a 5-play, 75-yard drive capped by Smith's 57-yard catch, then Jaylen McClain picked off Hank Brown and Ja'Kobi Jackson ran in from 7 yards out to make it 31-6.

Trends to watch

• Ohio State ran 47 times for 160 yards and still threw for 324. The ground volume did not take anything away from the passing game.
• Ohio State converted 8 of 15 third downs and closed the game with a 16-play drive that took the last 9:30 off the clock.
• Iowa's offense managed 238 total yards, and 75 of them came on the one touchdown drive late.

Stats are from the ESPN box score. New to these markets? Read up on the alt line and the moneyline, or see more at the college football hub.