Ohio State has struggled away from Columbus this season, losing two of their three road games while narrowly escaping Columbia with a victory over an average South Carolina team. Those struggles looked to be continuing in the first half of their game against Iowa Saturday afternoon before the Buckeyes blew the game wide open in the second. When it was all said and done, No. 6 Ohio State earned their 15th victory of the season by blasting the pesky Iowa Hawkeyes 76-47.Jared Sullinger was a monster, scoring a season high 28 points on 13-18 shooting with eight rebounds, four steals and one block. Deshaun Thomas added 10 points, and although William Buford struggled shooting the ball (just 3-14 for eight points), he added 11 rebounds, five assists and three steals. The Buckeyes shot 52% against the Hawkeyes and connected on seven of their 14 3-point attempts, which was a welcomed stat after missing 15 of 17 from deep in their last game against Nebraska.
"The fellas made a conscious effort to throw it inside, because they knew if they threw it inside it was either going to be a double-team or they were going to play one-on-one,” Sullinger said. “Coach Matta thinks that works to our advantage."
The Buckeyes also throttled the Hawkeyes on defense. Despite coming into the game with a season average of 46% shooting the ball, Iowa was held to just 32% (17-53) against the Buckeyes. The Hawkeyes were outrebounded 39-29 and committed 20 turnovers in a game where none of their players reached double-digit points. It was a frustrating day for everyone in black and gold -- including Iowa head coach Fran McCaffery -- who was on the wrong end of a technical foul call after complaining to the refs in the second half.
The Buckeyes also throttled the Hawkeyes on defense. Despite coming into the game with a season average of 46% shooting the ball, Iowa was held to just 32% (17-53) against the Buckeyes. The Hawkeyes were outrebounded 39-29 and committed 20 turnovers in a game where none of their players reached double-digit points. It was a frustrating day for everyone in black and gold -- including Iowa head coach Fran McCaffery -- who was on the wrong end of a technical foul call after complaining to the refs in the second half.
The Buckeyes returned to Columbus licking their wounds after suffering a 74-70 loss to the Indiana Hoosiers on New Year’s Eve. It took very little time to recover as Ohio State (14-2) destroyed the Nebraska Cornhuskers 71-40 on Tuesday night.
College football season should end on New Year’s Day (or the day after New Year’s Day if it falls on an NFL Sunday), but they insist on dragging it into the second week of January. Packed into the week leading up to the so-called Championship Game are eleven more bowls as this forgettable season limps to its anti-climax.
The Florida Gators scored two special teams touchdowns to lift them to a 24-17 Gator Bowl win over Ohio State, as the Buckeyes fell to 6-7 for the season, their first seven-loss campaign since 1897. The best thing that can be said about the 2011 Ohio State football season is that it’s over. 
Ohio State and Florida meet on Monday in the Taxslayer.com Gator Bowl, (1 p.m., ESPN2) in what will be just the second game ever between the two programs. You may remember the first meeting, just five years ago, on a much larger stage. Memories of that night still sting for Buckeye fans, but their pain is eased these days knowing that the coach who trounced them 41-14 in the 2007 BCS title game will be plying his trade in Columbus from this day forward. 