The No. 11 Hoosiers (4-0, 1-0) hit the road for the first time in 2025. IU travels to Kinnick Stadium to take on the Iowa Hawkeyes (3-1, 1-0). Indiana has not won in Iowa City since 2007 and the last time there was nightmare fuel. For IU to raise the Victory Flag this week they will have to…
Control the Pace of Play
The Hawkeyes are going to try and shorten the game as best as they can on Saturday. Iowa loves to run the ball, chew up first downs and let the clock wind. They are also good at it. Iowa averages over 32 minutes of possession time in their four games this season. With 80 first downs and just over five yards per play, Iowa just wants to grind it out. Indiana needs to get the Iowa offense behind the sticks on first down and force them into third-and-medium or third-and-long situations where they have to pass the ball.
The Hawkeyes average 5.77 yards per play on first down in their three wins this season. If they get five or more yards on first down the drive usually ends up flipping the field or in points. In Iowa’s lone loss to Iowa State they struggled on first down with just 3.42 yards per play. First down is the key down for the Hoosier defense. A small gain or negative play usually creates a hole that Iowa cannot dig out of.
Win the Special Teams Battle
Indiana has done an excellent job on special teams. Two of the biggest plays in the win over Illinois came on special teams. The Hoosiers can win on first down on defense and still get beat because of how good Iowa’s special teams are, especially kick and punt returner Kaiden Wetjen is. Wetjen has scored twice in the return game (one punt, one kickoff). He is averaging over 33 yards per punt return and 35.5 yards per kick return. Containing him is taking away Iowa’s most productive scoring threat.
The good news for the Hoosiers is that Branden Franke has been automatic on kickoffs this year with 30 of his 31 kickoffs going for touchbacks. This is the kind of game where Franke can really help set his teammates up for success.
IU punter Mitch McCarthy was off the injury report last week, but did not punt. Quinn Warren has filled in well and while he does not put a ton of air under his punts, he has done well at directional kicking. We’ll see if it’s Warren or McCarthy on Saturday.
Handle the Noise
Kinnick Stadium does not hold 100,000 fans like some of the other venues in the Big Ten, but at 69,250 it is a very tough place to play. IU did not handle the noise well last season against Ohio State when the Buckeyes timed up IU’s snap count and was in Kurtis Rourke’s lap faster than a lady at the Spearmint Rhino.
The Hoosiers brought in Pat Coogan to address these issues as the center has played and won in some very tough environments. The lessons the Hoosiers have claimed to have learned from losses at Ohio State and Notre Dame in 2024 will be put to the test this week. Iowa has great fans and they will be fired up for this homecoming matchup, it’ll be up the Hoosiers to rain on their parade.