The Iowa football team faces off against Indiana on Saturday in a ranked matchup to kick off both teams’ 2021 seasons.

Indiana finished last season with a 6-2 record and is ranked in the preseason for the first time since 1969.

Before No. 18 Iowa and No. 17 Indiana hit Duke Slater Field at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, The Daily Iowan previews the game’s marquee matchups and scouts the Hoosiers and Hawkeyes’ strengths and weaknesses.

Marquee matchup

For both Iowa and Indiana, Saturday’s game will be won and lost in the air. 

The Hawkeyes’ defense boasts one of the most experienced secondaries in the country, while Indiana’s offense relies heavily on its quarterback-wide receiver tandem of Michael Penix Jr. and Ty Fryfogle.

Penix is currently a junior, though he has dealt with one clavicle and two ACL injuries over the last three years. Fryfogle, the Big Ten Conference’s reigning Richter-Howard Receiver of the Year, is a senior.

In five complete games together last season, Penix and Fryfogle connected 31 times, netting 642 yards and seven touchdowns.

The most inexperienced player starting in Iowa’s secondary is junior strong safety Kaevon Merriweather. Cornerbacks Matt Hankins and Riley Moss and free safety Jack Koerner are all seniors. Junior Dane Belton is also in his third season appearing at cash for the Hawkeyes.

Last year, the group was ranked seventh in the country in pass defense and 23rd in total interceptions with 11.

The only notable departure from Iowa’s 2020 secondary is Julius Brents, who entered the transfer portal in December and ultimately landed at Kansas State for the 2021 season.

Iowa’s secondary will be the first Penix has faced since Nov. 28, 2020, when he tore his ACL against Maryland.

At Big Ten Football Media Days in July, Penix said he’ll be ready for the Hoosiers’ season opener against the Hawkeyes Sept. 4. At the same event, Hoosier head coach Tom Allen said Penix will not participate in any contact drills prior to Indiana’s matchup with Iowa. So, the first live hit Penix will take in nearly 10 months will come against Iowa’s defense.

Getting to know the Hoosiers

The Daily Iowan chatted with Indiana Daily Student Sports Editor Evan Gerike to preview the Hawkeyes and Hoosiers’ Saturday matchup. 

The Daily Iowan: How do you think Michael Penix Jr.’s injury will impact his performance this weekend or this season? Are there any limitations to his play at all?

Gerike: As far as [Hoosier head coach] Tom Allen has told us, there is not. He said at [a] press conference [this week that Penix Jr. is] 100 percent ready to start on Saturday. Throughout the season, [Penix has] always been saying his mind is 100 percent ready to start . . . At practice so far, he’s looked just as good as normal. I don’t think there will really be much of an effect of that injury. Maybe to start off there will be a little bit of apprehension, trying not to do anything too crazy, that might, you know, reaggravate the injury. If he is not [100 percent], maybe if he’s only 97 percent, he might be a little bit nervous about making certain plays. I think he’s the kind of guy that is competitive enough that he’s just going to kind of go right out and immediately attack Iowa’s defense as much as possible. I don’t think there will be any issue to worry about from Penix, at least on his mobility or his ability to be the playmaker that he normally is.

DI: How are Tom Allen and company sort of handling this preseason with actual expectations nationally?

Gerike: There definitely is a different air surrounding the team, especially in the media coverage. It’s very much like, ‘Everyone look at Indiana, look what they’re doing.’ Tom Allen’s trying to go about his thing, because when he got here, this was his vision. When he recruited people in 2016, he sat them down and said, ‘This is what IU can be in four or five years.’  The one thing that they definitely have done is, they are no longer holding back from the idea of winning the Big Ten. They’re 100 percent fully embracing it . . . They want to win the Big Ten. They want to knock off Ohio State, and they think they can do it.

DI: Do you think Indiana can win the Big Ten East this season?

Gerike: It’s definitely a possibility. It really just comes down to who wins [this year’s Ohio State-Indiana game]. I think Indiana’s schedule is favorable. At least in the [Big Ten East], they should be fine outside of Ohio State. So when that matchup comes to Bloomington, all eyes are going to be on that game because last year [the Hoosiers] nearly knocked off Ohio State, and if they do it this year, it’s their Big Ten to win.”

DI: What’s your prediction for this weekend’s Iowa-Indiana game?

Gerike: I’m expecting a low-scoring matchup . . . If Indiana scores 21 points, they’re in good shape. So, my final prediction, I’ll say [Indiana wins], 24-17.

This interview was edited by The Daily Iowan for length and clarity.

Petras versus the Hoosier secondary

Indiana’s secondary led the Big Ten in interceptions in 2020, picking off opposing quarterbacks on 17 occasions. 

Indiana’s secondary could take advantage of an Iowa passing attack that struggled at times in 2020.

Hawkeye quarterback Spencer Petras threw five interceptions last season — three of which came in the 21-20 loss to Northwestern at Kinnick Stadium Oct. 31. By season’s end, Iowa’s passing attack ranked 11th in the Big Ten.