College: The University of Iowa
Year: 2017
Game: Penn State 21 Iowa 19
Rating: 8
Cost Index: Average
Tickets: Moderate, there were tickets available walking around before the game
Stadium: Kinnick Stadium
If you want to make it part of a larger trip: Minneapolis Saint Paul, Wisconsin, Chicago, Iowa State
Don't Miss: Night game at Kinnick
Avoid: The bar scene isn't great, the city doesn't have a ton of going on
Attendees: Bones, The Wrestler
Pre-game
Iowa City: I got into Iowa City around 5PM, met The Wrestler at Buffalo Wild Wings to catch the back half of the TCU vs. Oklahoma State game. I've been to Iowa City before and it was ridiculously hot so we didn't bother tailgating before the game. That may have been a mistake judging by the walk over to the stadium. We hung out at BWW for a bit, had some food and a couple of beers.
Iowa City itself feels small for a Big 10 town. I guess that makes sense because Iowa is on the smaller side of the Big 10 (23k enrollment, as a comparison Ohio State is 46k, Penn State is 40k, Michigan 28K, Nebraska 20) but you would think Iowas downtown would have a bit larger of a footprint. I guess it feels like there is no one there other than college age folks. You don't get that feeling when you are in Ann Arbour or Columbus.
Walking into the game was entertaining....the students BROUGHT IT from a partying perspective. At one point they looked more like an fighting force after a battle than a group of students that were headed to a football game. I assume many of them had been drinking all day. There was one kid who was being held up like an injured player coming off the field....if they had to put him on the injury report it would have read "Liver Injury, out for the rest of the game."
Game : Where do you start with this one? Prime-time game, great crowd, game came down to the final play. There was a little bit of everything: blocked kicks, a safety, Saquon Barkley had 368 all purpose yards, key turnovers, a walk off TD, some questionable officiating...I can't really do it justice here.
I love both Barkley and Trace McSorely, I really like Penn State to win the Big 10 and go to the playoff this year. Penn State doubled Iowa's yardage on the day, but they could never make a play to put Iowa away. Iowa's defense mastered the bend but don't break approach. Iowa's offense is whatever the opposite of creativity is....they don't use deception at all. Then need to fix that if they are ever going to contend on a regular basis, it's too hard to rely on wearing defenses down week after week. (note, they lost to a bad Michigan State team the following week)
In this space I occasionally write about why I like college football so much, I usually do so poorly, but let me try again. The reason I, personally, go to any form of entertainment (concert, game, movie) is to be surprised. This happens most often at college football games...something happens and the game goes completely sideways and suddenly the game, or event itself, takes over and you are along for the ride, and it's pure joy. At one point in the fourth quarter I looked at The Wrestler and we both had shit eating grins on our faces. It was like being 12 years old and discovering someone's dad's stash of Playboys. Everyone there was completely in the moment, probably one of the most fun places to be in the world on that particular Saturday.
Stadium: The fans and overall atmosphere were awesome. We were really lucky to have a couple of very excellent Iowa fans in front of us, they were entertaining without being obnoxious.
I'm not sure there is a more appropriate stadium out there than Kinnick. It's not overdone. It's loud. The architecture perfectly fits both the campus and the overall attitude of the State of Iowa: very polite and genuine but not to be disrespected.
Once nice touch: They build a 15 story Children's Hospital overlooking the field. After the first quarter the entire crows waves to the kids who are staying in the hospital, they all watch the game from the top floor.
http://www.ncaa.com/news/football/article/2017-09-21/iowa-football-fans-wave-childrens-hospital-hawkeyes-newest
Post Game
Some observations not related to on field play:
- I feel like I need to mention this again but the fans had the exact right amount to drink. Enough to be loud but no so much they were a problem. Kudos to Iowa fans, they made a difference in the game. Held their team in it to a degree.
- The college age girls there were knockouts....one of those places where if you were a guy it would probably be typical to date out of your league
- I think there is a state law in Iowa that once you turn 25 you are forced to get one of three hairstyles. For men it's the crew-cut, the mullet or the bowl. For women it's the Bobcut, the Bouffant or the feather cut.
- There was an ICP concert in Iowa City that night! Who knew?
Game Recap: http://www.espn.com/college-football/game?gameId=400935360