Saturday, Sept. 27
3:30 p.m. Eastern, 12:30 p.m. Pacific
Peacock
The Indiana Hoosiers made a major statement in the Big Ten last week by crushing Illinois 63-10. The Hoosiers delivered an essentially perfect game, an elite performance which gives them a better chance of returning to the College Football Playoff.
Indiana coach Curt Cignetti was questioned throughout the long offseason for reasons everyone can understand. A lot of people in the college football media universe felt Indiana caught lightning in a bottle and was a one-year wonder with a very favorable schedule. Now, in Year 2, a lot of analysts and experts went into the season thinking Indiana would be a target for high-profile opponents and would not hold up well under pressure. The idea that Indiana would succumb to the laws of averages and regress to the mean was not a rarely-voiced claim in media circles.
Indiana tries to show that 53-point win was no fluke
Curt Cignetti tries to keep the magic flowing at Indiana
This game is fascinating for many reasons, but it starts with Curt Cignetti. The Indiana football coach has transformed a previously dormant program. It’s not just the results which are so impressive, though they are. It’s that Cignetti has instantly done all of this. He didn’t need a one- or two-year grace period to iron out rough edges, learn some hard lessons, and get everyone on the same page. Cignetti went 11-1 in his first regular season, losing only to eventual national champion Ohio State. The only two teams IU lost to in 2024 were the two teams which played for the national championship, OSU and Notre Dame.
Cignetti has become an outspoken, blunt-talking coach with close to no filter. He says exactly what he thinks and feels. One can see why his Indiana players go to the wall for him, and why Hoosier fans are so captivated by him. He doesn’t merely project confidence, as though it’s an act or a “fake it ’til you make it” posture. No, Cignetti really thinks he and his players are good. Unlike a lot of sports personalities, Cignetti isn’t afraid to say it publicly. He doesn’t shy away from big talk. What’s notable is that Cignetti backs up the talk more often than not, as shown most recently by the 63-10 win over Illinois. Now Indiana goes to Iowa, trying to show that was not a one-off, but is merely a taste of what is to come with the 2025 Hoosiers.
Indiana Hoosiers-Iowa Hawkeyes Odds
Hear TJ Rives and Jason Powers break down this game on the 3Dog Thursday Podcast by clicking Play below:
Spread: Indiana -7.5 (-110), Iowa +7.5 (-110)
Total: 47.5 (Over -105, Under -115)
Underdog moneyline: Iowa +240
Indiana is the better team, but Kinnick Stadium is a regularly tough stadium to play in. Indiana winning outright is not the question; it’s that 7.5-point spread. Vegas is daring people to take Iowa plus the points. Should you take that dare? Why not wait until 15 to 20 minutes have been played? If Indiana gets off to a big start, an Iowa ticket will get torched. If Indiana struggles early, you could jump on a live line and trust that the Hoosiers will get roped into a close game. Our official recommendation: Pass on this one. If we had to lean in one direction, though, we’d ride with Cignetti and Indiana.