Saturday will be a unique game for the Iowa Hawkeyes.
Iowa (6-2, 3-2 Big Ten) takes on Northwestern (4-4, 2-3 Big Ten) looking to maintain its footing atop the Big Ten West’s logjam alongside Nebraska, Minnesota and Wisconsin.
The Hawkeyes will do so in an uncommon venue. Enter Wrigley Field, home of the Chicago Cubs.
It marks the first time since 2017 that Iowa has played a football game inside a baseball stadium. That 2017 date was on Dec. 27 in a 27-20 win over Boston College.
The last time Iowa played a Big Ten game in a baseball stadium? Oh, that was long ago.
Iowa faces Northwestern at Wrigley Field on Saturday.
The last time the #Hawkeyes played a Big Ten foe in a baseball stadium was on Nov. 24, 1904 against Minnesota at Athletic Park in Cedar Rapids.
The last time Iowa played in a baseball stadium was the 2017 Pinstripe Bowl. pic.twitter.com/Y86pzqml6L
— HawkeyeFBNotes (@HawkeyeFBNotes) November 2, 2023
Iowa’s last Big Ten football game from inside a baseball stadium came against Minnesota all the way back on Nov. 24, 1904 at Athletic Park in Cedar Rapids. The final that day was 11-0, Gophers.
How does Iowa head football coach Kirk Ferentz feel about playing in the unusual gridiron venue?
“My first response to that is I think baseball is for baseball. I love baseball, and I’m a little, not upset, but disappointed I haven’t gotten to see much this year. Not that we get to see much ever because we’re usually working.
“I’ve only had one experience playing in a baseball stadium, and that was unique. We got first-class treatment, but the field was not great. There’s some challenges with this,” Ferentz said.
Though it will be a departure from the norm with perhaps some hiccups, Ferentz was having fun with the idea of being at Wrigley this week and some of the challenges it will present for the officiating crew at his press availability.
“There will be some challenges — signal stealing, subbing from one end of the field to the other. We had a little conference call yesterday, and I teased Ron Snodgrass, who’s an outstanding official and a really good person. I thought he must have pissed somebody off to get this game. Trying to manage the clock in this situation is going to be a real challenge. It’s like anything else. We’re going to make it go. It will be a thrill,” Ferentz said.
Iowa kicks off against Northwestern at 2:30 p.m. CT with the game streaming on Peacock.
Contact/Follow us @HawkeyesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Iowa news, notes, and opinions.
Follow Josh on Twitter: @JoshOnREF
We occasionally recommend interesting products and services. If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links, we may earn an affiliate fee. Hawkeyes Wire operates independently, though, and this doesn’t influence our coverage.