IOWA CITY, Iowa (Interstat) — Julian Sayin threw three touchdown passes and Ohio State defeated Iowa 31-14 on Saturday at Kinnick Stadium in an NCAA Football Bowl Division game. The Buckeyes improved to 4-1, while the Hawkeyes moved to 4-1. Attendance was 69,250. Ohio State never trailed after an early touchdown and controlled the game into the fourth quarter. The victory gave the Buckeyes a fourth win in five games and dropped Iowa to 4-1.

Sayin, a 6-foot-1, 203-pound quarterback from Carlsbad, California, completed 20 of 27 passes for 324 yards and three touchdowns. He was the game’s top star. Jeremiah Smith, a 6-foot-3, 215-pound receiver, caught 11 passes for 206 yards and two touchdowns. Devin McCuin, a 6-foot, 185-pound receiver, had four receptions for 80 yards and a score. Brandon Inniss, a 6-foot, 207-pound receiver, added two catches for 14 yards. Ja’Kobi Jackson, a 5-foot-11, 209-pound running back, ran 14 times for 72 yards and a touchdown. Bo Jackson, a 6-foot, 217-pound running back, added 16 carries for 70 yards, and Isaiah West, a 5-foot-10, 210-pound running back, ran seven times for 21 yards and caught one pass for 9 yards. Nate Roberts, a 6-foot-5, 240-pound tight end, and Maxence LeBlanc, a 6-foot-4, 246-pound tight end, each made one reception, for 9 and 6 yards. Phillip Bell returned two punts for 4 yards, and Joe McGuire, a 6-foot-2, 212-pound punter, punted twice for 80 yards. Connor Hawkins made a 28-yard field goal, missed a 40-yard attempt and handled extra points for the Buckeyes.

Iowa split quarterback work. Hank Brown, a 6-foot-4, 201-pound quarterback, completed 12 of 27 passes for 132 yards, and Jeremy Hecklinski, a 5-foot-11, 188-pound quarterback, completed all five of his passes for 67 yards. DJ Vonnahme, a 6-foot-4, 240-pound tight end, led the Hawkeyes with six receptions for 64 yards. Tony Diaz, a 5-foot-11, 176-pound receiver, had five catches for 59 yards and one rush for 8 yards. Reece Vander Zee, a 6-foot-4, 207-pound receiver, caught two passes for 35 yards. Jarriett Buie, a 6-foot-1, 200-pound receiver, had one reception for 17 yards. Braeden Jackson ran once for 2 yards, caught one pass for 12 yards and scored a touchdown. L.J. Phillips Jr. ran four times for 16 yards. Zach Ortwerth, a 6-foot-3, 220-pound tight end, caught one pass for 7 yards, and Thomas Meyer, a 6-foot-4, 248-pound tight end, had one reception for 5 yards.

Ohio State’s defense distributed its production. Payton Pierce recorded six tackles. Qua Russaw, a 6-foot-2, 251-pound linebacker, had five tackles and one sack. Eddrick Houston, a 6-foot-3, 270-pound defensive end, added four tackles and two quarterback hurries, and Zion Grady, a 6-foot-4, 258-pound defensive end, finished with four tackles. Jaylen McClain, a 6-foot, 192-pound safety, had three tackles and an interception. Leroy Roker III, a 6-foot-1, 197-pound safety, Christian Alliegro, a 6-foot-4, 228-pound linebacker, Earl Little Jr., a 6-foot-1, 186-pound defensive back, Riley Pettijohn, a 6-foot-2, 231-pound linebacker, Jermaine Mathews Jr., a 5-foot-11, 182-pound cornerback, Devin Sanchez, a 6-foot-2, 198-pound cornerback, and Simeon Caldwell each made three tackles. Tarvos Alford, a 6-foot-1, 233-pound linebacker, had two tackles. Kenyatta Jackson Jr., a 6-foot-5, 239-pound defensive end, had one tackle and one sack. Cam Calhoun, a 6-foot, 177-pound cornerback, and James Smith, a 6-foot-3, 296-pound defensive lineman, each recorded one tackle. Beau Atkinson, a 6-foot-6, 270-pound defensive lineman, and Jason Moore, a 6-foot-6, 305-pound defensive lineman, each had one quarterback hurry, while John Walker, a 6-foot-4, 310-pound tackle, had two quarterback hurries.

Iowa’s defense was led by Zach Lutmer and Jayden Montgomery, who each made 11 tackles. Deshaun Lee, a 5-foot-10, 187-pound defensive back, had seven tackles. Cam Buffington, a 6-foot-3, 239-pound linebacker, recorded six tackles and two quarterback hurries, and Jaylen Watson also had six tackles. Kahmari Brown, a 6-foot-2, 220-pound defensive lineman, and Bryce Hawthorne, a 6-foot-3, 285-pound tackle, each had five tackles and one sack. Jacob Wallace, a 5-foot-10, 178-pound defensive back, added four tackles and one sack.

Ohio State opened the scoring when Sayin found McCuin for a 15-yard touchdown pass with 13:18 left in the first quarter. Iowa answered with Caden Buhr’s 43-yard field goal. Hawkins made a 28-yard field goal for Ohio State, and Buhr connected from 48 yards later in the opening quarter. Hawkins missed a 40-yard field goal in the second quarter, but Sayin hit James Smith for a 12-yard touchdown with 12 seconds left before halftime. Sayin and Smith connected again for a 57-yard touchdown in the third quarter. Ja’Kobi Jackson added a 7-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter. Iowa’s Braeden Jackson scored on a 2-yard run with 9:30 remaining, and the Hawkeyes converted a two-point pass from Vander Zee after a penalty wiped out an initial failed rush. The final was 31-14.

Ohio State scored in every quarter and finished with 31 points, while Iowa managed 14. Sayin’s passing and Smith’s receiving proved decisive. Ohio State’s ground game complemented the air attack, with Ja’Kobi Jackson and Bo Jackson combining for 142 yards on 30 carries. West added production on the ground and through the air. McGuire’s two punts averaged 40 yards. The Buckeyes also got a turnover from McClain and pressure from Russaw, Houston, Kenyatta Jackson Jr., Atkinson, Moore and Walker.

Ohio State entered the game with wins over Illinois, Kent State and Ball State and a loss to Texas. Iowa entered with wins over Michigan, Northern Iowa, Iowa State and Northern Illinois. The Hawkeyes had been unbeaten before Saturday.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Ohio State 26, Iowa 19. Interstat’s ELO system gave Ohio State a 77.2 percent probability to win. Iowa had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of -14.5. The total score of 45 went over the over/under line of 45.5.