Iowa Head Coach Praises Indiana's Offense

The Iowa Hawkeyes have a tough task ahead of them against the Indiana Hoosiers.

Iowa Hawkeyes head coach Kirk Ferentz is interviewed by the Big Ten Network after becoming the winningest coach in Big Ten history, passing Woody Hayes, with a win over the Massachusetts Minutemen Sept. 13, 2025 at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa. | Julia Hansen/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Iowa Hawkeyes began Big Ten play the right way with a 38-28 win over the Rutgers Scarlet Knights in Week 4, but that looks like child's play compared to what they have coming up.

This weekend, the Hawkeyes will host the No. 11 Indiana Hoosiers, who are riding high after a 63-10 blowout win over the Illinois Fighting Illini last week. Even the final score doesn't truly sell how dominant the Hoosiers were, as they out-gained the Illini by over 400 yards, had 31 first downs while only allowing nine and held the ball for nearly 40 minutes of game time. It was an absolute clinic, and one of the most lopsided games between ranked teams in recent history.

Now, the Hawkeyes have to figure out how to slow down that high-flying offense, which head coach Kirk Ferentz has plenty of praise for.

Sep 20, 2025; Bloomington, Indiana, USA; Indiana Hoosiers wide receiver Elijah Sarratt (13) and Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza (15) celebrate after a touchdown during the second half against the Illinois Fighting Illini at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Goddin-Imagn Images | Robert Goddin-Imagn Images

"Where do you want to start? It's hard to find a weakness. It really is," Ferentz told reporters. I'm not saying it's like playing Ohio State, but there's some similarities in my mind if you look at their offense."

Chief among those similarities is the "big, physical" offensive line, as Ferentz described it twice over. The unit features newcomers at right tackle and center, but the other three starters return from last year's team. They opened up plenty of holes against the Illini and allowed the offense to flow as well as it did.

The Hoosiers also have a host of talented skill-position players, as well as quarterback Fernando Mendoza, a transfer from Cal who now looks like a bona fide Heisman Trophy contender. In fact, Ferentz believes he can compete for that award.

"Somebody was saying he's the leader for the Heisman," Ferentz said. "I don't have a Heisman vote, but I'd vote for him based on what I have seen. He looks really good, too.

"I think that's part of why they're putting up those numbers. They can run the ball, pass it, got the ability to hit the big play. The quarterback, I'll go back to him for a second. He gets the ball out extremely quick. It's going to be tough to even get a hand on him, and he'll run it, but when he runs it, they have designed runs for him and then they also have -- he'll flush it out, but he's looking down, he'll look to maybe a throw on the run, which is tough to defend."

Indiana was one of the best surprises in the country last season, going 11-2 to make their first College Football Playoff appearance. This year, though, the Hoosiers might be even better.

The Hawkeyes defense took a while to get settled against the Scarlet Knights, and if that happens against the Hoosiers, the game might get out of hand before they even know what hit them.

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