Oregon Coach Dan Lanning Doesn't Hold Back On Iowa's Kinnick Stadium

Oregon Ducks coach Dan Lanning is impressed with Iowa’s Kinnick Stadium and didn’t hold back on the challenge of one of the Big Ten’s toughest road environments.

While he acknowledged the stadium’s intensity and the unique atmosphere created by the Hawkeyes’ fans and traditions - Lanning also highlighted the personal significance of the upcoming game. With Iowa City just a few hours from his hometown of Kansas City, Missouri, Lanning expects to have friends and family in the crowd.

Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning iowa hawkeyes crowd kinnick stadium wave dante moore playoff big ten football upset | Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

What Lanning Said About Kinnick Stadium

Kinnick Stadium is well-known for the “Wave to Children” tradition. At the end of the first quarter, fans turn to wave to children at the adjacent Children’s Hospital. It's a nationally recognized and heartwarming ritual that adds an emotional layer to the game-day experience.

“It's gotta be one of the greatest traditions in college football. To realize that just a few yards away from you there's some guys fighting a battle that matters a lot more than the game. But for a Saturday every week that they get to maybe be somewhere else other than that hospital is a pretty cool moment,” Lanning said.

Fans do the wave after the first quarter during the Iowa Hawkeyes football game against the Albany Great Danes Aug. 30, 2025 at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa. | Julia Hansen/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Iowa also has pink locker rooms as another nod to the nearby University of Iowa Children’s Hospital.

The meaningful community traditions add to a game day atmosphere that consistently lands on 'toughest places to play' lists. It's a raucous Big Ten atmosphere with fans that don't let up. Lanning knows first hand, as he coached a game there while he was a Graduate Assistant with Pittsburgh.

Lanning returns close to home on Saturday. The Kansas City-native grew up a few hours from Iowa City and said there are plans for his family and friends to be in the crowd.

"I can promise you, being at Kinnick before as a GA when we were at Pitt and we played them, and it's not going to feel like a home game. It's a cool environment, though. This is one of those ones that you get excited to get the opportunity to play in front of, and I'm sure I'll have some family and friends there,” Lanning said.

"But this environment, it's a great one. It's they do it the right way. Obviously, with the Children's Hospital, a lot of their pieces, pink locker rooms, right? There's a feel to this one, and it means a lot to the people in Iowa. They turn out really well for this game. So, I'm expecting a great crowd," Lanning continued.

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Oregon Can't Overlook Iowa

Iowa has a true home field advantage. Since 2021, Iowa has gone 26-7 for games played at Kinnick. From 2008-2021, the Hawkeyes under current head coach Kirk Ferentz were 5-1 against AP ranked top-five opponents at home.

Oregon football quarterback Dante Moore poses with Men Wear Pink of Lane County ambassador James Conners and rally speaker April Brown during a breast cancer awareness rally at Autzen Stadium on Oct. 5, 2025. | Miranda Cyr/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The No. 6 Ducks have only four games left on the regular season schedule. Fresh off a bye, Oregon (7-1, 4-1 Big Ten) and Iowa kick off at 12:30 p.m. PT on CBS.

The Hawkeyes have the same 4-1 Big Ten record that Oregon and the USC Trojans have. Iowa is 6-2 overall, with losses to No. 2 Indiana and their rival Iowa State on the road early in the season.

Oregon aims to keep its remarkable road dominance alive in a first visit to Iowa since 1989. The Ducks have won 10 consecutive road games dating back to 2023 - twice as many as any other team.