Curt Cignetti and the Indiana Hoosiers are set to take on the Nebraska Cornhuskers in Lincoln in Week 6. It will be Indiana's toughest test so far this season, and the Huskers are an opponent that the Hoosiers can't afford to overlook in any way. But an even tougher test awaits in Week 7.
After taking on Nebraska this weekend, a highly-anticipated matchup between the Hoosiers and Ohio State Buckeyes awaits on Oct. 17. Ohio State and Indiana have built quite the rivalry on the gridiron over the past few seasons, and both remain surefire National Championship contenders after five weeks of the season.
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As it stands, it will be a Top-10 matchup, as Ohio State is ranked No. 5 and Indiana is ranked No. 7 in this week's AP Top-25 Poll. The matchup between the Hoosiers and Buckeyes will mark the first time that the Hoosiers will host the Buckeyes in the Cignetti era. Ohio State remains Cignetti's only Big Ten loss at Indiana, which came back in 2024 in Columbus. The Hoosiers were able to get revenge in last December's Big Ten Championship Game in Indianapolis.
The atmosphere at Memorial Stadium is sure to be electric, but there's one key aspect of the contest that fans aren't fond of.
Kick-off between the Hoosiers and Buckeyes will have a kickoff time of Noon ET. FOX's Big Noon Kickoff will be on site broadcasting the game, which is sure to bring millions of eyes to the rivalry matchup. But noon start times aren't exactly ideal for several reasons. A night game would have been better.
Indiana vs Ohio State deserves to be played under the lights
Noon kick times for marquee matchups have become the norm in the Big Ten. FOX's broadcast rights to the biggest Big Ten games of the week mean that the most anticipated action gets started bright and early on Saturday's.
But this is the kind of game that deserve to be played under the lights. A night atmosphere creates a special energy and intensity, making every moment feel bigger and more memorable. It gives a game of this caliber the stage it deserves.
Fans in attendance have had all day to tailgate and get ready for the action, and that extra prep time can create an even louder and more raucous environment. That creates an even more intense home field advantage.
Conversely, noon kickoffs can actually give the road team a slight advantage. The early start can lead to a quieter, less energetic crowd, taking some of the edge out of the home-field advantage. That could be just what the road team needs to find it easier to settle in and avoid the pressure of a hostile atmosphere.
With that being said, Memorial Stadium is still sure to be rocking when this game gets going. Hoosier football fans will be fired up and ready to roll, and are sure to create a big-time atmosphere in Bloomington on Saturday afternoon. But imagine what it would be like under the lights.
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