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Iowa football rules out DB vs. Ohio State

The fourteenth-ranked Iowa Hawkeyes enter their weekend matchup against the sixth-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes facing a significant defensive hurdle. Coach Phil Parker's unit must prepare for elite pass-catcher Jeremiah Smith while simultaneously adjusting to the absence of a primary contributor in the secondary.

Third-year defensive back Tyler Brown has been officially ruled out of the contest after sustaining an injury during the final quarter of the previous game against Michigan. This latest setback continues a frustrating trend of health issues for the James Madison transfer, who previously missed the initial pair of contests due to an offseason soft-tissue problem and currently maintains ten total tackles alongside one forced fumble on the year.

Anthony Hawkins, who opened the first two games in a starting capacity, is slated to step back into the role on Saturday. Additionally, the availability report noted that Darion Jones and Derek Weisskopf remain listed as questionable for their respective special teams contributions as College GameDay visits Iowa City.

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