Mark Ingram’s last time being in Iowa City was Dec. 7, 2007, on an official visit with Iowa football and head coach Kirk Ferentz. The On3 four-star recruit traveled 408 miles from his hometown of Flint, Michigan, and left with a lasting impression.
“I remember him inviting us to our house, and he’s one of the main reasons why Iowa was so high on my list. I just believed in him,” Ingram recalled his memories of his official visit. “I believe in this program, a program of building great men, great football players, and just a program of success.”
Ingram eventually committed to the University of Alabama and compiled a Heisman Trophy-winning season with the Crimson Tide in 2009 along with a lengthy pro football career. And for the first time since that 2007 visit, he returned to Iowa City along with the rest of FOX Sports’ Big Noon Kickoff crew to host its weekly show ahead of the Iowa-Oregon football matchup on Saturday.
About Big Noon Kickoff
Big Noon Kickoff is a college football show that provides a preview of the day’s top games live from select college campuses. The week’s preview will be the matchup between Oregon and Iowa, and it will take place in the front lawn of the Old Capitol building.
Fans can arrive as early as 7:30 a.m. for the tailgate. The show goes live on FOX at 9 a.m. CT and will air for three hours.
Amenities will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis — that includes free food and picking a spot to stand during the show. Signs are heavily encouraged, with the most creative sign receiving a $500 cash prize. Other prizes will also be awarded to other top signs.
What does BNK think of Iowa?
There’s a widespread belief that Iowa will present a tough matchup to Oregon as they did to Indiana in its 20-15 loss to the Hooisers on Sept. 27. Ingram confirmed those beliefs on Friday.
“It seems like it’s going to be a tough one for Oregon tomorrow,” Ingram said. “How [Iowa] plays well on all three phases — offense, defense, special teams — I think it’s like a vintage Iowa recipe for an upset.”
Ingram acknowledged that these next two matchups against No. 9 Oregon and No. 19 USC could catapult Iowa into a College Football Playoff spot, and he believes the Hawkeyes can pull it off if its offense holds up.
“I think if Iowa finds a way to score 24 points, they win,” Ingram said.
Fellow FOX Sports analyst and former WWE 24/7 champion Rob Stone also stressed the importance of a capable Iowa offensive performance — not just for this matchup, but for the stigma surrounding the program.
“What I find fascinating is, can Iowa start to change the conversation just a little bit, just enough where [opponents are] like, ‘Hey, you do need to respect our offense?’” Stone said. “You got to get the passing game going… And I think that will change the dynamics and obviously the national perception of what Iowa football is.”
But in the end, Stone honed in on how Iowa must play to its strengths: run game and defense. If the Hawkeyes can do that, he likes its chances to come out on top.
“The consistency of this Iowa defense is really something remarkable,” Stone said. “Defense gets you double digit win seasons, and defense gets you into consideration to be in the Big Ten championship game and the playoff picture.”