Ohio State has yet to face a truly raucous road crowd this season.
The most hostile crowd the Buckeyes have faced this season was probably in Indiana during the season opener, as the Hoosiers led at halftime before Ohio State pulled away in the second half. Nebraska was the largest road crowd the Buckeyes have faced this season, but the Cornhuskers were out of the game by the time the third quarter began.
Urban Meyer said Wednesday that he expects Iowa will give the Buckeyes a stiff challenge in terms of the road environment on Saturday. Despite usually getting a solid contingent of Ohio State fans following the Scarlet and Gray, Meyer expects the Hawkeye fans to heavily out-number the visiting crowd Saturday.
"Iowa has a rich tradition, like Nebraska," Meyer said. "These kind of places – I remember being there years ago – it's a strong tradition and we are anticipating a really big Big Ten crowd."
While Iowa does indeed have a rich football tradition, the Hawkeyes have started a new tradition this year. At the end of the first quarter of each home game, fans and the Hawkeye football team turn and wave to children who are patients at the University of Iowa Stead Family Children's Hospital that opened earlier this year behind Kinnick Stadium.
ESPN's College GameDay feature by Tom Rinaldi on the new tradition from the Sept. 30 edition of GameDay can be seen below.
While Ohio State will be locked in battle with perhaps its toughest road test outside of Michigan this season, center Billy Price said he will happily take the time to wave to the children in the hospital.
"There is a lot of passion and pride in that program. I saw it during their Penn State game, I think it is the top room of the hospital," Price said. "That just shows the support that the University of Iowa has for those kids. I think it is awesome. Football is so much bigger (than a game). To have that impact you can have on someone else, I will give the kids a wave."
Ohio State defensive end Jalyn Holmes has been an active member in the Columbus community this year, making a trip midseason with Tracy Sprinkle to speak to a local group of middle school kids. Holmes said Wednesday that he too will make a point to join in on Iowa's newest tradition.
"I'm definitely waving," Holmes said. "It is definitely special that (Iowa) is able to provide that for people who are in the hospital."
