IOWA CITY — The Buckeyes walked into Kinnick Stadium as 20-point favorites and left with a 31-point loss on the schedule. Following the 55-24 outcome, Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer spoke briefly with the media, as did senior center Billy Price and senior defensive end Tyquan Lewis. Here are the highlights.
Urban Meyer
+ Meyer did not see this coming. He said he had no idea how this happened.
+ It was bad turnovers and Iowa controlled the line of scrimmage.
+ The offense never got right once they started losing offensive linemen, and even when they came back it was never right.
+ Iowa’s defense “just played very well against us.”
+ The ejection on Nick Bosa had a big impact.
+ On J.T. Barrett’s four interceptions? “Ow.” The defense was baiting him, but that’s their coverage and that’s what they do.
+ On what he told the team after the game: “That’s between our team. That’s between us.”
+ Meyer was concerned coming into this game because he knows what Iowa is capable of. “Sure I was concerned. I didn’t see any signs.”
+ This was not about a lack of energy.
+ He didn’t have any answers for the defensive performances yet.
Billy Price
+ “Obviously a terrible feeling right now.”
+ “We just didn’t come in prepared today.”
+ At Ohio State they finish the game with class, even in a loss like this, and Price had to remind his team about that late in the game.
+ Accountability will be the key this week and there will be some very honest conversations this week.
+ They were looking for a spark, but just couldn’t find it.
+ Iowa’s defense didn’t do anything unexpected.
+ “We knew what they were going to do.”
+ “We took one on the chin.”
+ It’s difficult going from the highest of highs to the lowest of lows.
+ The Big Ten East is still in Ohio State’s control.
+ Winning the East has always been the No. 1 goal.
+ Should the Buckeyes have run the ball more? “I trust the coaches. My personal opinion doesn’t matter.”
+ Feels like this was about execution and not emotion.
Tyquan Lewis
+ You expect to go into every game and dominate. “Obviously it didn’t turn out that way.”
+ Being run on like this is like a punch to the gut.
+ “Nobody expected that on defense.”
+ Losing Bosa affected the game, but they have to have the next man step up.
+ “There’s a feeling of embarrassment. As a leader I feel like I let a lot of people down.”
+ The completed passes to the tight ends: “As a defensive line, that’s on us.”
+ It was a great week of practice. This was a blindside.