One of the most anticipated IU football seasons in program history begins with a major challenge. How about a top-20 Big Ten matchup on the road with fans in the stands to open the 2021 campaign?
The Hoosiers travel to Iowa City looking to snap a three-game losing streak in the series. And with a win, the imaginations of Indiana fans will run wild with the possibilities for this 137th season of IU football.
Here is everything you need to know about Indiana’s week one matchup with the Hawkeyes.
No. 17 INDIANA (0-0) at No. 18 IOWA (0-0)
- Kickoff: 3:30 p.m. ET
- Location: Kinnick Stadium, Iowa City, Iowa (69,250)
- Television: BTN (Brandon Gaudin (p-b-p), James Laurinaitis (analyst) & Rick Pizzo (sideline))
- Stream: FoxSports
- Radio: IU Football radio network
- Odds: Iowa is a 4-point favorite
- Weather at kickoff: 73 degrees, cloudy, wind 10 mph, 15% chance of precipitation.
- The Coaches:
Tom Allen’s 24 wins (24-22 overall record) are the most for an Indiana head football coach over his first four seasons. Allen was also named the 2020 Hayes-Schembechler Coach of the Year (Big Ten coaches vote) and the Dave McClain Coach of the Year (Big Ten media vote).
Kirk Ferentz is 168-106 (.613) in his 23rd season at Iowa. He is the school’s all-time winningest coach and sits fourth in B1G history. Ferentz served as Maine’s head coach (1990-92) and owns a 180-127 (.586) career record.
See Also:
- IU Football position previews
- Tom Allen to his team on preseason recognition: “Congratulations, but it means jack”
- Tom Allen with final Thursday thoughts on Iowa
- Watch: Iowa’s Kirk Ferentz previews matchup with Indiana
- Tom Allen radio show — Iowa week
- From unwanted to unstoppable: Micah McFadden and Ty Fryfogle’s improbable journeys to All-American
- Indiana confirms running back Stephen Carr as its week one starter
- IU football releases the week one depth chart for Iowa
TALE OF THE TAPE (2020 FINAL STATS)
Chase after greatness. pic.twitter.com/JHhFYXtbUV
— Indiana Football (@IndianaFootball) September 4, 2021
SERIES NOTES
- Iowa holds a 45-28-4 advantage in the series that began with a 13-6 Iowa victory in 1912.
- Iowa has won seven of the last eight meetings. Indiana’s last win was 24-21 in 2012 in Bloomington.
- The Hawkeyes are 24-10-3 all-time and have won three straight against the Hoosiers in Iowa City. Indiana is making its first trip to Iowa City since 2014. Iowa won that game, 45-29. The Hoosiers last win in Iowa City was a 38-20 victory in 2007
- Indiana will kick off a campaign against Iowa for the fourth time and the first time since 1980.
- The Hawkeyes own a 2-1 record in the three previous starters with wins in Bloomington (16-7 on Sept. 13, 1980; 27-0 on Sept. 29, 1956). IU dropped Iowa, 30-26 in the lone matchup in Iowa City on Sept. 8, 1979.
- Indiana and Iowa are meeting for the first time since 2018 and the first time at Kinnick Stadium since 2014.
THE COMPLETE BIG TEN WEEK 1 SLATE
| Away | Home | Result | Location | Links | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Ohio State 45
|
Minnesota 31
|
Final
|
Huntington Bank Stadium (Conf.) | Box Score |
| Away | Home | Time | Location | Links | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Northwestern 21
|
9:00 P.M.
|
Evanston, IL (Conf.) | TV: ESPN Stats Radio: WGN Radio AM-720 Video |
| Away | Home | Time | Location | Links | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
12:00 P.M.
|
Ann Arbor, Mich. | TV: ESPN Stats Video | |||
|
12:00 P.M.
|
Lincoln, Neb. | TV: BTN Stats Radio: Huskers Radio Network Audio Video | |||
|
12:00 P.M.
|
Piscataway, N.J. | TV: Big Ten Network Stats Radio: WCTC 1450-AM, WOR 710-AM, XM 203, Sirius 121, Scarlet Knights App Video | |||
|
12:00 P.M.
|
Madison, WI (Conf.) | TV: FOX Radio: Badger Sports Network | |||
|
3:30 P.M.
|
Iowa City, Iowa (Conf.) | TV: BTN Radio: IU Radio Network | |||
|
3:30 P.M.
|
Capital One Field at Maryland Stadium | TV: ESPN Radio: Maryland Sports Radio Network | |||
|
7:00 P.M.
|
West Lafayette, Ind. | TV: FS1 | |||
|
7:40 P.M.
|
Champaign, Ill. | TV: BTN Stats |
WHEN IOWA HAS THE FOOTBALL
Iowa Returning Starters, Offense (6): QB Spencer Petras, RB Tyler Goodson, FB Monte Pottebaum, TE Sam LaPorta, LG Cody Ince, C Tyler Linderbaum
Iowa Starters Lost, Offense (5): WR Brandon Smith, WR Ihmir Smith-Marsette, LT Alaric Jackson, RG Cole Banwart, RT Mark Kallengberger
Iowa Offensive Outlook: The Hawkeyes lose a first-team All-Big Ten pick on the offensive line in Jackson and a second-team pick in Banwart, but Linderbaum was a Rimington Award finalist as the nation’s best center last season. He was named second-team All-Big Ten by the conference’s coaches and first-team by the media and he’s a preseason All-America pick by several publications including the Sporting News. He’ll be blocking for Goodson, a first-team All-Big Ten pick who rushed for 762 yards and seven touchdowns in eight games last season to finish third in the Big Ten behind Minnesota’s Ibrahim Mohamed and Ohio State’s Trey Sermon.
In Petras, the Hawkeyes return the conference’s sixth-leading passer with 1,569 yards and nine touchdowns. They lose their two starting wide receivers, but the tight end LaPorta was the leading receiver in terms of receptions. Nico Ragiani and Tyrone Tracy Jr., last year’s backup receivers, each had better than 14 receptions and 150 yards last season.
WHEN INDIANA HAS THE FOOTBALL
Iowa Returning Starters, Defense (7): DE Zach VanValkenburg, LEO/Cash hybrid Dane Belton, MLB Shane Benson, CB Matt Hankins, CB Riley Moss, FS Jack Koerner, SS Kaevon Merriweather.
Iowa Starters Lost, Defense (4): DE Chauncey Golston, DT Jack Heflin, DT Daviyon Nixon, WLB Nick Niemann.
Iowa Defensive Outlook: In Nixon and Golston, the Hawkeyes lost arguably the two most disruptive defensive linemen in the Big Ten. Nixon was the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, Golston also a first-team All-Big Ten pick and they finished with 5.5 sacks each, which put them in a tie for second in the Big Ten behind Indiana’s Micah McFadden. Nixon led the league in tackles for loss with 13.5 and Golston was also in the top 10. However, defensive line is always an Iowa strength and the Hawkeyes still have an All-Big Ten pick returning in second-teamer VanValkenburg, who had 3.5 sacks and 8.5 tackles for loss last season.
The loss of Niemann, a third-team All-Big Ten pick by the conference’s coaches and the team’s leading tackler with 77 last season, is also significant. However, the Hawkeyes bring back their other two starting linebackers and the entire secondary from a team that finished second in the Big Ten in scoring defense, second in total defense, third in the league against the run and fifth against the pass. Koerner and Moss combined for five interceptions and Koerner was named second-team All-Big Ten by the media and third-team by the coaches.
PREDICTION
Indiana has been doubted routinely over the last two years, and then delivered big wins over Nebraska, Penn State, Michigan, Michigan State and Wisconsin.
This one could go either way, but IU has the better quarterback, and we think that will ultimately prove to be the difference.
Penix has time to throw against Iowa’s rebuilding line and delivers big plays, and Petras makes a few mistakes against the Hoosiers’ veteran secondary.
INDIANA 27
IOWA 24
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