OHIO STATE FOOTBALL Memories of '04 flop motivating Buckeyes

Last season, Iowa embarrassed the Buckeyes, 33-7, in the Hawkeye state.
STAFF/WIRE REPORTS
COLUMBUS -- The next domino for No. 8 Ohio State is No. 21 Iowa.
Moments after beating up on winless San Diego State 27-6, the Buckeyes were already animatedly talking about their Big Ten opener at home against the Hawkeyes on Saturday.
"Next week is really big," linebacker Anthony Schlegel said.
Rankings and BCS points aren't a major consideration for the Buckeyes or Hawkeyes, each with a 2-1 record.
With conference play beginning -- and Big Ten teams such as Michigan State, Penn State and Minnesota off to a white-hot start -- neither can afford to fall off the pace early.
"We weren't perfect, but we took another step in the right direction toward Iowa," linebacker A.J. Hawk said after the San Diego State win.
A year ago, Iowa drilled the Buckeyes 33-7 in Iowa City, dropping them to 0-3 in conference play. Ohio State netted 27 yards on its 29 rushes and was manhandled on both lines.
Haunted
The Buckeyes haven't forgotten.
"We were embarrassed," said Hawk. "You have to give [Iowa] a lot of credit. They played well. Everything just went wrong all day for us. We missed tackles. We missed assignments.
"It was one of those days where we just couldn't get anything going."
"We have to come back from last year," Schlegel added. "We need to show the country what we can do."
It took a while for the Buckeyes to get untracked against San Diego State (0-3), which scored on an 80-yard touchdown pass from Kevin O'Connell to Brett Swain on the first play from scrimmage.
The Aztecs' offense disappeared after that. They never advanced past the Ohio State 46 and finished with just three first downs -- the fewest in school history. After getting 80 yards on their first play, they mustered just 99 on their last 40.
Holmes' speed
Punt returns of 35 and 12 yards by Santonio Holmes helped set up Troy Smith's two first-half touchdown runs.
Smith, in his first start this season, led the Buckeyes with 87 yards on 14 rushes and added 14-of-26 passing for 149 yards with one interception.
"I feel good we got the W, but I don't feel good offensively about my performance," Smith said. "I should've done better. We need to sharpen a lot of things."
"He played pretty well," running back Brandon Schnittker said of Smith, who got his first start of the season. "It was nice to have some continuity, but we all have to get better. In order to beat Iowa, we're going to have to execute better."
San Diego State totaled more than 400 yards in each of its first two games, but the Aztecs ran for just 13 yards on 19 carries against Ohio State.
"They've got some great individual players -- and not just one, two or three of them," Craft said of Ohio State's defenders. "They've got them along the line, they've got them at linebacker and they've got them in the secondary."
The loss to Texas behind them, the Buckeyes relish a fresh start in the conference.
"Iowa is someone we have not played well against," senior linebacker Bobby Carpenter said. "Now it's my last chance."
Saturday's game, which kicks off at noon, will be Ohio State's last home game until Oct. 15 against Michigan State. The Buckeyes have a bye week after the Iowa game, then travel to Penn State on Oct. 8.