#1 INDIANA FOOTBALL 2025 NATIONAL CHAMPIONS

[southsidehoosier]

 

[MartintheMopMan]

1 hour ago, Pagoda said:

Yea.  Maybe there is some advantage to being familiar with playing there — sight lines, etc.

But, at the end of the day it’s an NFL stadium.  A field with stands around it.  So, with a neutral crowd in the stands I don’t see too much advantage to our opponent.

I don't think it will be enough to swing the game or anything, but I think there is more of an advantage than that. It's worth maybe .5-.75 points.

There is a psychological impact to knowing it's "yours" and you're defending it. Nothing new to see or get used to or get distracted by. Like using someone else's computer, even when it's otherwise identical to yours.

Moreover, there is a physical advantage to knowing how the grass feels, how your cleats grip to it, how balls move through the air, what it looks like for a ball to go through the uprights or to throw into the end zone, how sound travels and bounces around. Tons of tiny little factors.

I mean, even if both were completely empty, you know the bball team would shoot better in an empty Assembly Hall than an empty Bankers Life even if they're both fundamentally a court with bleachers around it. Studies showed the advantage of being the home team in the NFL persisted even during COVID when the stands were empty, for instance.

[Pagoda]

20 minutes ago, MartintheMopMan said:

I don't think it will be enough to swing the game or anything, but I think there is more of an advantage than that. It's worth maybe .5-.75 points.

There is a psychological impact to knowing it's "yours" and you're defending it. Nothing new to see or get used to or get distracted by. Like using someone else's computer, even when it's otherwise identical to yours.

Moreover, there is a physical advantage to knowing how the grass feels, how your cleats grip to it, how balls move through the air, what it looks like for a ball to go through the uprights or to throw into the end zone, how sound travels and bounces around. Tons of tiny little factors.

I mean, even if both were completely empty, you know the bball team would shoot better in an empty Assembly Hall than an empty Bankers Life even if they're both fundamentally a court with bleachers around it. Studies showed the advantage of being the home team in the NFL persisted even during COVID when the stands were empty, for instance.

I don’t think we disagree much.  When I say I don't see "too much advantage" I mean something like 0.5 points.

[southsidehoosier]

 

[Golfman25]

16 minutes ago, MartintheMopMan said:

I don't think it will be enough to swing the game or anything, but I think there is more of an advantage than that. It's worth maybe .5-.75 points.

There is a psychological impact to knowing it's "yours" and you're defending it. Nothing new to see or get used to or get distracted by. Like using someone else's computer, even when it's otherwise identical to yours.

Moreover, there is a physical advantage to knowing how the grass feels, how your cleats grip to it, how balls move through the air, what it looks like for a ball to go through the uprights or to throw into the end zone, how sound travels and bounces around. Tons of tiny little factors.

I mean, even if both were completely empty, you know the bball team would shoot better in an empty Assembly Hall than an empty Bankers Life even if they're both fundamentally a court with bleachers around it. Studies showed the advantage of being the home team in the NFL persisted even during COVID when the stands were empty, for instance.

While it's their "home" field, it isn't really theirs. They are essentially guests of the Dolphins.  It's not like Memorial Stadium or Assembly Hall -- iconic on campus locations.  Something get's lost when you play in a pro teams stadium.  

[Stuhoo]

41 minutes ago, southsidehoosier said:

 

 Well ****; if Cig is feeling good about our preparation then who am I to argue.

[MonteMarcaccini]

Seems like IU will have a slight crowd advantage based on everything out there, which would be similar to the B1G Championship.

That was a very intense crowd, as intense as I’ve witnessed live, with both crowds hanging on every play.  
I anticipate it being similar tonight…unless IU takes control early!

[DChoosier]

Ticket holders…..

Be sure to start heading to the stadium quite early as there will be security checkpoints set up in the interior parking lots, prior to getting to the stadium, followed by stadium security. 

[Hovadipo]

Shuttle to the stadium from one of the most popular lots is a charter bus. There are 2 Miami fans on it. 

[southsidehoosier]

Pam Whitten on Pat McAfee show

[DChoosier]

1 minute ago, Hovadipo said:

Shuttle to the stadium from one of the most popular lots is a charter bus. There are 2 Miami fans on it. 

If I had to guess I’ll go 55-45 IU fans but would not be shocked with 65-35.  Will be interesting to see.

Could they PLEASE start the game now?

[Stuhoo]

As a South Florida resident, I can assure you all that many, many Miami fans won’t get to their seats until well after the game has begun.

When myself and my South Florida Cuban wife were married, we put the wedding start time on the invitation as 45 minutes before the actual ceremony time. Her relatives were still straggling in at the start. #CubanTime

[NashvilleHoosier]

Has anybody taken the shuttle from lot 95? About to head that way and wondering if it’s running smoothly. 

[Hovadipo]

Just now, NashvilleHoosier said:

Has anybody taken the shuttle from lot 95? About to head that way and wondering if it’s running smoothly. 

Lot 70 is absolutely seamless. Not an exact match but close. 

[Lebowski]

8 minutes ago, southsidehoosier said:

Pam Whitten on Pat McAfee show

She's a very big reason IUFB is where it is today. She said all the right things during that interview. 

[NashvilleHoosier]

4 minutes ago, Hovadipo said:

Lot 70 is absolutely seamless. Not an exact match but close. 

Good to know. The traffic layer on Google Maps around the interchange next to lot 95 has me freaking out a bit. Uber driver is about to get very specific instructions. Drive fast, physical, relentless but stay smart, disciplined, poised. Let’s go. 

[Henryville Hoosier]

 

[AZ Hoosier]

 

[MartintheMopMan]

The nervous energy of a day like today is the worst because it's so hard to manage. This weekend, I managed by forcing my daughter to endure a Mighty Ducks marathon (though only like 1/3 into D3). Despite the Ducks using Oregon's name and the colors and mascot being much much closer to Miami's (until D3 ironically), all season it has felt like we are living in a 90s sports movie and never more than now.

It's honestly glaring. The team of misfits who are perennial losers until they get a new coach who unlocks their potential. A successful first season followed by a second-season where, with the help of a few transfers (including a kid from Miami named Mendoza) they become world-beaters. A final game against a team who is bigger, faster, stronger, has more facial hair. A team aiming to use their size to physically hurt players to weaken our heroes. A team made up of ******* ***** *** **** **** who ****************************** **** and are proud of it. Like, how well does Miami slot into the position of a villain? It's uncanny.

That also makes me anxious because it raises a whole question of whether these storybook cinematic endings are pure fantasy or can really happen. With the world what the world is, it's hard to believe in any ending where the good guys win. Reality always seems to crush them in the end.

I feel like that's part of why so many people have united behind us and in support of us too. Everyone wants the Little Giants to beat the Little Cowboys. Will they? Or does that only happen in movies?

[68Hoosier]

I just read the doors open at 6:30.  That seems late for the type of crowd they are expecting tonight and with the added security.