Ohio State and Iowa are Big Ten opponents. This page tracks how sportsbooks have priced their meetings: where the line opened, how it moved, how far prices differed between books and how each game finished. OddsBay records every price from the first line to kickoff, and we add each new meeting to the record below.
Ohio State vs Iowa: the OddsBay record
Lines are the median price across the sportsbooks OddsBay tracks. “Open” is the first widely available line, about a week before kickoff, and “Close” is the line at kickoff.
October 3, 2026: Ohio State at Iowa
- Spread: Ohio State −14.5 at open, Ohio State −14.5 at close
- Total: 43.5 at open, 45.5 at close
- Final: Ohio State 31, Iowa 14
- Result: Ohio State −14.5 covered; the game went under (45 points)
Next meeting
Conference schedules rotate, so these teams do not necessarily play every season. This page will be updated when they meet again. Compare live college football prices on the OddsBay price finder.
How the last meeting was priced
The spread never moved: Ohio State was a 14.5-point road favorite a week out and at kickoff. The total rose two points, from 43.5 to 45.5.
Ohio State won 31–14, a 17-point margin, covering by 2.5. The 45 points landed just under the closing total but over the opening number. Ohio State closed around −710, an implied chance of about 88%.
Our guides to line movement and implied probability explain how to read these numbers.
Line shopping in this matchup
At kickoff, OddsBay tracked moneyline prices from 39 sportsbooks:
- Ohio State moneyline (won): from −847 at the worst book to −545 at the best. A winning $100 bet paid $7 more at the best price.
- Iowa moneyline: from +400 to +525.
- A steady line: 32 books closed at 14.5. When the spread does not move, the price (the juice) is where books differ, from −122 to −106 on the same number.
College football prices tend to vary more between books than NFL prices. Our line shopping guide shows how to compare them, and the vig guide explains why books differ.
What makes Ohio State vs Iowa different to bet
- Key numbers matter less. In 549 college football games OddsBay recorded, 3 was the most common margin (9.5%) and 7 the second (7.1%), but 40% of games were decided by 21 or more. Half points around 3 and 7 still count, just less than in the NFL. See our college football key numbers guide.
- Home field is already in the price. Home teams won 63.5% of 543 college football games we recorded but covered the spread only 50.7% of the time. Our guide to home-field advantage explains why.
- Rankings are not prices. Favorites won 76.9% of 545 games we recorded but covered only 46.7%. See rankings vs betting markets and our guide to rivalry games.
- Opening vs closing totals. This total finished between the open (43.5) and the close (45.5): an over at the open, an under at the close. When you bet matters as much as what you bet. See our guide to the closing line.
What to check before the next meeting
- Quarterbacks and injuries. Confirm who is starting and which key players are out.
- Weather. For outdoor games, check the wind forecast for game day.
- Where the line sits. Note what each half point costs.
- Prices across books. Compare the moneyline, spread and total on the odds comparison before betting.
- Your bet against the close. After the game, compare the price you took with the closing line. Our guide to the closing line explains why.
More college football matchup guides
Big Ten: Iowa vs Michigan, Iowa vs Washington, Oregon vs USC, USC vs Penn State, Washington vs USC, Penn State vs Michigan
SEC: Georgia vs Alabama, Auburn vs Tennessee, Ole Miss vs Florida, Texas A&M vs LSU, Texas vs Oklahoma, Texas vs Tennessee, Alabama vs Tennessee, Auburn vs Georgia
Big 12: Iowa State vs BYU, BYU vs TCU, Kansas vs Kansas State
ACC: Miami vs Clemson, Florida State vs Miami, North Carolina vs Duke
Betting responsibly
Rivalry games attract emotional bets. Decide your stake in advance (our guide to bankroll management shows how) and treat betting as entertainment. If gambling stops being fun, help is available: in the United States, the National Problem Gambling Helpline is available 24/7 by calling or texting 1-800-MY-RESET.
Key takeaways
- Ohio State and Iowa are Big Ten opponents; their meetings depend on the conference schedule.
- In the October 3, 2026 meeting, the spread stayed at Ohio State −14.5; Ohio State won 31–14 and the game went under the 45.5 close.
- The Iowa moneyline ranged from +400 to +525 across 39 books at kickoff.
Frequently asked questions
Who won the last Ohio State vs Iowa game?
Ohio State beat Iowa 31–14 on October 3, 2026, covering as a 14.5-point road favorite. This page is updated after each meeting.
Do Ohio State and Iowa play every year?
Not necessarily. Conference schedules rotate, so check the current schedule. When they meet again, we add the game to the record on this page.