Back in the offseason, the assumption was that Seth McLaughlin would win the starting center job after transferring from Alabama. Not only did he win that job but so far this season, he has played quite well.

This is certainly a welcome sight after the Ohio State Buckeyes struggled with offensive line consistency in 2023 and McLaughlin himself had a down year with the Crimson Tide.

Through the non-conference schedule and two Big Ten Conference games, the pairing has been perfect for both parties. The experienced center has been a strong addition in the trenches and will look to continue to be a dominant force throughout the rest of the season.

Just how dominant has McLaughlin been?

In the win against the Iowa Hawkeyes, McLaughlin actually posted the highest grade of any center in the country during week six according to Pro Football Focus. His 78.6 mark is an excellent grade, yet not surprising considering how solid he has been in the middle.

Not only has McLaughlin been solid this season, but the rest of the offensive line has played quite well. Against the Oregon Ducks, McLaughlin, Josh Simmons, Donovan Jackson, Tegra Tshabola and Josh Fryar will all need to be at their best. It seems like they have been at their best to this point, however, this will be the toughest test yet for the whole team.

If this unit can enforce physicality in the run game and give Will Howard time to operate on Saturday, then not only might McLaughlin grade high with PFF once again, but the rest of the unit may fair pretty well.

The Iowa football team’s Oct. 19 game at Michigan State will kick off at 6:30 p.m. CT.

The Big Ten contest will be televised on NBC.

Iowa plays host to Washington on Saturday, Oct. 12. That game is set for 11:10 a.m. CT.

IARN – While the temperatures have been enjoyable lately, the lack of rainfall has been anything but. After experiencing the driest September on record, drought and fire dangers have increased. Justin Glisan, state climatologist for Iowa, said that the drought monitor has been repopulated with zones of abnormally dry conditions.

Read more at Iowa Agribusiness Radio Network.