The Big Ten is a gauntlet no matter who you are, what schedule you get, and how good you may be. The conference is one of the best in America, and quite possibly the deepest as well. Each week demands incredibly high focus and execution.
Add in road trips to some of the Big Ten venues, and things get even tougher. Specifically, trips to Kinnick Stadium, the home of the Iowa Hawkeyes, are very tricky. The stadium is intimate, the fans are loud, and Iowa loves to give top teams a scare.
This year, Iowa welcomes in a team from the Big Ten, the Indiana Hoosiers, who are trying to prove that their magical College Football Playoff run in 2024 was not an aberration, but a sign of things to come for the program. This pivotal Big Ten matchup has earned the spot from ESPN as Indiana’s biggest swing game in 2025.
Indiana Hoosiers
Swing game: at Iowa, Sept. 27
After what should be a straightforward start to the season with some manageable nonconference matchups, the season ramps up with the Hoosiers first road trip to Iowa. While the Hawkeyes aren’t projected to be a surefire Top 25 team this season, playing at Kinnick is never easy. Going into that environment and emerging with a victory could be a tone-setter for Indiana’s season in large part because of the game that precedes that matchup and the one that follows it. The conference opener against Illinois a week prior will be a tough first hurdle, while a road trip to Eugene to face Oregon after the Iowa game will be even tougher. Playing that stretch 2-1 instead of 1-2 (or even 0-3!) will be imperative. — Uggetti
Iowa gets the luck of being sandwiched between two other massive games for the Hoosiers, plus the luxury of hosting them. The Hawkeyes will be revved up for this game, as it is one they must win if they want to be in late-season discussions about making a postseason run.
The last time Indiana came to Kinnick Stadium, the Hawkeyes feasted in the 2021 season-opener. Iowa welcomed in Indiana and routed them 34-6 in front of a raucous Kinnick crowd. The Hawkeyes lead the all-time series 46-28-4 over the Hoosiers.
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This article originally appeared on Hawkeyes Wire: ESPN lists Big Ten contender’s trip to Iowa football as swing game
Reporting by Riley Donald, Hawkeyes Wire / Hawkeyes Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
