20 Iowa vs. Indiana football Fun Facts

Hoosiers! Hawkeyes! Hey now! Fun facts!

1. Iowa has won its last six games, topped only by Alabama (13), Oklahoma (8), Texas A&M (8), Ball State (7) and Louisiana (7).

2. Indiana was 8-0 against the spread last year according to Phil Steele’s College Football Preview (7-1 according to some other sources), and won three games as underdogs.

3. Both teams are 6-2 since the COVID-19 pandemic started and 11-5 in the Big Ten over the last two years.

4. Iowa has won its last three games against Indiana, and seven of its last eight.

5. The Hoosiers haven’t won a bowl game since 1991. Every other Big Ten team has won a bowl since 2010.

6. No. 17 Indiana is in the Associated Press preseason rankings for the first time since 1969.

7. This is the second time the Hawkeyes and Hoosiers will meet as ranked teams. The other was 1991.

8. Iowa hasn’t allowed more than 25 points in any of its last 22 games, the longest current streak of any Power Five program. Indiana allowed 26 points to Mississippi in its last game, the Outback Bowl.

9. Hoosier quarterback Michael Penix Jr. is 12-2 as a starter.

10. Iowa is tied with Appalachian State for the most interceptions since 2017, with 64.

11. Indiana has two straight winning seasons in the Big Ten, for the first time since 1987 and 1988.

12. Iowa last opened a season against Indiana in 1979, a 30-26 home loss in Hayden Fry’s first game as the Hawkeyes’ coach.

13. Hoosier punter James Evans is from New Zealand. Hawkeye defensive end Zach Van Valkenburg is from Zeeland, Mich.

14. Indiana has transfers from Florida State, USC, Texas A&M, Mississippi, Auburn, Michigan, Stanford, Rutgers, Miami (Ohio), Villanova, Indiana State, Northern Illinois and South Alabama.

15. Hoosiers coach Tom Allen is a graduate of Maranatha Baptist University in Watertown, Wis. The school retired its football program after the 2016 season.

16. This is the first time Indiana will have played before a crowd of at least Saturday’s size since Oct. 26, 2019, when it won 38-31 at Nebraska. This is the first time Iowa will have played before a crowd of at least Saturday’s size since Nov. 28, 2019, when it won 27-24 at Nebraska.

17. Indiana running back Stephen Carr rushed for a touchdown against Iowa in 2019 for USC in the Holiday Bowl. The Hawkeyes scored seven TDs that night and won, 49-24.

18. September is Archaeology Month in Indiana.

19. Mount Vernon is ranked 10th in Class 4A in the Associated Press Indiana high school football rankings. Mount Vernon is ranked ninth in Class 3A in the Gazette’s Iowa high school football rankings.

20. James Laurinatis, former Ohio State/NFL linebacker, will be the analyst for BTN’s telecast of the game. His father was Road Warrior Animal.

The Hoosiers’ best names:

Ty Fryfogle

Xavier Trueblood

Connor Hole

Ty Wise

Sio Nofoagatoto’a

Christian Love