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3 things to watch as Iowa women’s basketball faces Ohio State in Big Ten Tournament

Published

9 months ago

March 7, 2025

3 things to watch as Iowa women’s basketball faces Ohio State in Big Ten Tournament

INDIANAPOLIS — Two days into the Big Ten Tournament, and Iowa women’s basketball couldn’t have scripted a more productive postseason entrance. Now comes another late-night challenge more daunting than the last.

The No. 11 seed Hawkeyes march into Friday’s quarterfinal against No. 3 seed Ohio State (8 p.m., BTN) as a confident bunch after tackling No. 6 seed Michigan State on Thursday and No. 14 seed Wisconsin on Wednesday. Iowa has 80 Big Ten Tournament minutes under its belt before the Buckeyes have a single one. Can the Hawkeyes execute well enough to make that matter?

Here are three things to watch ahead of another Iowa-Ohio State collision.

How do the Hawkeyes swing Ohio State’s rest/rust debate in their favor?

It’s a bit absurd to think about — that 10 of the 15 Big Ten Tournament teams will be eliminated before Ohio State takes the floor for the first time. The late-night double bye makes for a lengthy wait.

Contrast that with Iowa’s current situation — two games played, two significant showings — and it’s fair to wonder if that massive difference will make a difference Friday night.

“I feel like you can look at it either way,” junior Taylor McCabe said. “Me personally, I kind of like that we’ve been here for a few days just getting adjusted to the arena. It is a little different. For the past two years, we were playing in Minneapolis (for the Big Ten Tournament). Most of us have never even been here. So I do like that we have been here for a few days.

“We’ll have another shootaround (Friday) morning. I mean, they are fresh. So there’s an advantage to that. They only really had to scout two teams, where we’ve had to scout a couple. I do think it helps that we played them pretty recently as well. We’ll be ready to go.”

Hear from Hannah Stuelke after Iowa women’s basketball topples Michigan State in Big Ten Tournament

Speaking of that first matchup, how can it productively fuel Iowa’s second crack at Ohio State?

“Revenge Tour” made its way into the postgame dialogue for the first time this week, as the Hawkeyes look to get back several foes that snuck by them in the regular season. Ohio State sits right at the top of the list.

Crossing off the Buckeyes will require a cleaner effort that what was largely seen in Iowa’s 86-78 overtime loss in Columbus on Feb. 17. Yes, the Hawkeyes’ incredible regulation rally to erase a 12-point deficit in the final 90 seconds offered a valuable lesson on belief. But Iowa unsuccessfully played catch-up after a sluggish start stuck the Hawkeyes in an early double-digit hole.

A better opening than that day is likely needed Friday.

“We have to handle their press,” Iowa coach Jan Jensen said. “We have to handle their speed. (Big Ten freshman of the year) Jaloni (Cambridge) got downhill on us real fast, real often there — and I don’t know if anybody’s been able to really slow her down. So we’re going to have to try to figure out how to minimize that. We’re going to have to score a little bit more efficiently than we did (Thursday).”

Iowa’s Kylie Feuerbach on Jan Jensen’s first T, beating Michigan State

The Hawkeye senior scored six big fourth-quarter points to help Iowa pull away from the Spartans, 74-61.

After ample freshman contributions to start the Big Ten Tournament, who’s next for Iowa to steal an unlikely spotlight?

Reliability is essential in March, but so is versatility. And Iowa has shown in Indianapolis that its depth is a weapon beyond just saving legs.

Freshman contributions — divvied up Wednesday, lots of Ava Heiden Thursday — dominated the Iowa dialogue after two days. Similar efforts from those not always in the spotlight create the Hawkeyes’ best chance for an even lengthier run.

Iowa women’s basketball vs. Ohio State prediction

Another tight affair late against Ohio State that calls for flawless execution. The Buckeyes, full of urgency with a win likely clinching an NCAA Tournament hosting spot, knock off Iowa in dramatic fashion. Ohio State 75, Hawkeyes 71

Dargan Southard is a sports trending reporter and covers Iowa athletics for the Des Moines Register and HawkCentral.com. Email him at msouthard@gannett.com or follow him on Twitter at @Dargan_Southard.

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AP top 25 poll: Indiana jumps Ohio State in Bowl Season college football rankings

Published

9 hours ago

December 7, 2025

Press Room

AP top 25 poll: Indiana jumps Ohio State in Bowl Season college football rankings

There may be no better job in college football history than what Curt Cignetti has accomplished, taking an Indiana program that had the most all-time losses to a 13-0 season and Big Ten championship after beating reigning champ Ohio State.

As a result, AP top 25 voters were left with an easy decision when compiling the updated college football rankings moving into the playoff and bowl season.

They assigned all of their first-place votes to the Hoosiers, who predictably moved to the top of the rankings in a notable shake-up around the top-five that also saw SEC champion Georgia rise.

Where does that leave everything else in the updated top 25 college football rankings heading into the 2025 postseason?

Let’s take a look at what teams moved up, and down, and who stayed put moving into the College Football Playoff and Bowl Season, according to AP top 25 voters.

AP top 25 rankings for Bowl Season

First-place votes in parentheses

Indiana (66)
Georgia
Ohio State
Texas Tech
Oregon
Ole Miss
Texas A&M
Oklahoma
Notre Dame
Miami
Alabama
BYU
Vanderbilt
Texas
Utah
USC
Tulane
Michigan
James Madison
Virginia
Arizona
Navy
North Texas
Georgia Tech
Missouri

How did we do? Our prediction for the AP top 25 rankings

AP top 25 biggest movers

Indiana (Up 1). The historic Hoosiers moved up 1 spot from No. 2 to the top of the rankings after finishing a 13-0 season by beating undefeated Ohio State to win the Big Ten championship.

Ohio State (Down 2). The reigning national champions were just three points worse than Indiana on the field, and despite the tough loss to end the season, are still a favorite to win another title.

Georgia (Up 1). For the second-straight year, the Bulldogs are SEC champions, this time taking out Alabama to move up 1 place in the rankings and clinch a first-round bye in the College Football Playoff.

Miami (Up 2). The idle Hurricanes took advantage of losses by higher-ranked Alabama and BYU to move back into the top-ten as playoff selection nears.

Tulane (Up 4). Champions of the American Conference, the Green Wave are the highest-ranked Group of Five team in the playoff, too.

North Texas (Down 3). Runners-up in the American Conference, the Mean Green failed to get their offense together against Tulane, but have done enough to stay in the rankings.

Other teams receiving votes

These teams got votes on AP top 25 ballots, but not enough to be included in the rankings this week

Houston 82, Iowa 74, Tennessee 61, New Mexico 21, Duke 18, Boise State 16, UNLV 10, USF 10, SMU 8, Arizona St. 6, Louisville 6, UConn 5, Washington 4, Pittsburgh 3, Kennesaw State 3, Illinois 2, Iowa State 2, Western Michigan 1, TCU 1.

More college football from SI: Top 25 Rankings | Schedule | Teams

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Indiana football undisputed No. 1, Big Ten champions over Ohio State

Published

21 hours ago

December 6, 2025

Press Room

Indiana football undisputed No. 1, Big Ten champions over Ohio State

INDIANAPOLIS — There was a lot of losing over the last 80 years — the third-most losses in the sport’s history — but Curt Cignetti has brought Indiana football to the top of college football.

It was far from perfect, but the Hoosiers clinched their first outright Big Ten championship since 1945 in their first championship game appearance and in front a predominately Hoosiers crowd at Lucas Oil Stadium. When Ohio State kicker Jayden Fielding’s 27-yard attempt was pushed wide left with 2:48 to play, it left the ball in Fernando Mendoza’s hands.

Mendoza threw a game-clinching 33-yard pass to Charlie Becker on third-and-6, leaving Ohio State with all but one timeout spent and a chance to run out the clock. They punted it and pinned Ohio State without timeouts at its own 14 with 18 seconds left, and the defense took care of the rest.

Here’s what I liked and disliked, and what the Hoosiers’ historic win means.

What I liked in IU football’s win vs Ohio State in Big Ten championship game

Pressure. Julian Sayin hadn’t seen it like this yet in 2025. Ohio State’s quarterback entered play Saturday night having taken just six sacks all season, and two in a game just once (Purdue, Nov. 8). Indiana rolled up three in the first half alone, plus more productive pressure, hurrying Sayin enough to get and largely keep him out of rhythm. It was a big part of the reason why Indiana actually outgained Ohio State in the first half.
Mendoza dialing it up deep. Indiana tried a pair of deep shots in the first half that Fernando Mendoza couldn’t quite find. That didn’t stop the Hoosiers trying to take the top off Ohio State’s defense and eventually it paid off, first with a pass interference penalty and then with a 51-yard third-quarter gain to Charlie Becker that set up Mendoza’s first touchdown pass. The willingness to stretch the field kept Ohio State honest to such an extent that it backed pressure off and let Mendoza get comfortable.
Tough running. The Hoosiers could not pop the explosives that have defined their most dominant performances. But they did not abandon the ground game, to their credit. More than once, a commitment to the run, even in the face of Ohio State’s defensive strength, flipped a field or extended a drive. It might not have been flashy, but the willingness to commit to it added up.

What I disliked in IU football’s win vs Ohio State in Big Ten championship game

Special teams miscues. Nico Radicic’s first-half miss, his first on a field goal attempt all season, hardly paralleled the sins of last season in Columbus. But the margins are so painfully thin against this Ohio State team. The difference between needing a touchdown and needing a field goal might not feel so seismic in the second quarter, but it will in the fourth. Couple this to a handful of first-half penalties, and Cignetti will have wanted to get some fundamentals cleaned up at halftime.
Injuries. Mendoza got a scare early, on a hard hit from Caden Curry. He was fine, but just plays later Omar Cooper Jr., IU’s leading receiver, limped off for the rest of the evening. Mikail Kamara continued to battle an assortment of problems as the evening wore on. Both injuries and apparent performance shuffled Indiana’s offensive line. It was a bruising evening in Indianapolis.
Finishing drives. Hard to beat the best with field goals, something IU learned Saturday. More than once, an explosive play opened the door to a touchdown Ohio State’s smothering defense promptly closed. On an evening when the finest details mattered most, those missed opportunities ratcheted up Cignetti’s stress.

What IU football’s win vs Ohio State in Big Ten championship game means

History. For the first time since 1945, the Hoosiers have an outright Big Ten championship. The College Football Playoff committee had essentially locked IU into a bye and then Cignetti claimed nobody had earned it.

His Hoosiers earned it, and the No. 1 seed and a Rose Bowl berth Jan. 1.

Want more Hoosiers coverage? Sign up for IndyStar’s Hoosiers newsletter. Listen to Mind Your Banners, our IU Athletics-centric podcast, on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Watch the latest on IndyStar TV: Hoosiers.

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Miami Ohio vs Western Michigan live updates: Start time, TV for MAC championship

Published

1 day ago

December 6, 2025

Press Room

Miami Ohio vs Western Michigan live updates: Start time, TV for MAC championship

It’s hard to beat the same college football team twice in a single season.

That’s what Miami (Ohio) will have to contend with when it faces off against Western Michigan on Saturday, Dec. 6, at Ford Field in Detroit in the MAC championship game.

Watch the MAC championship game on Fubo (free trial)

The RedHawks (7-5, 6-2 MAC) earned a 26-17 win over the Broncos (8-4, 7-1) on Oct. 25. Interestingly, both teams started the season 0-3, but recovered during conference play to get themselves into the conference championship game.

With one conference loss, Western Michigan won the regular-season MAC title. However, the road for Miami was a little more complicated, as it finished tied with Toledo and Ohio with two losses apiece. The RedHawks earned the spot in the championship game, despite regular-season losses to both.

Miami’s 49-25 win over Ball State served as the three-way tiebreaker, as the RedHawks had a better win percentage than Ohio and Toledo vs. all common opponents.

USA TODAY is bringing you live updates, scores and highlights from the game. Follow along:

Miami vs Western Michigan score

TEAM	Q1	Q2	Q3	Q4	FINAL
Miami (Ohio)	―	―	―	―	―
W Michigan	―	―	―	―	―

Miami vs Western Michigan live updates

This section will be updated.

Western Michigan has won four MAC titles in program history (1966, 1976, 1988 and 2016). Miami has won 17 while a member of the MAC, and has 25 conference championships in school history.

Here’s a look at Miami (Ohio) players walking into Detroit Field:

What time does Miami vs Western Michigan start?

Date: Saturday, Dec. 6
Time: Noon ET
Where: Ford Field (Detroit)

Miami vs Western Michigan will kick off at noon ET on Saturday, Dec. 6 from Ford Field in Detroit.

What TV channel is Miami vs Western Michigan on today?

The MAC championship game between Miami and Western Michigan will be broadcast on ESPN. Streaming options for the game include Fubo, which carries ESPN and offers a free trial to new subscribers.

Miami vs Western Michigan predictions

Ehsan Kassim, USA TODAY Sports: Western Michigan 20, Miami 17

Western Michigan avenges its lone regular-season conference loss with a win over Miami to win its first MAC title since 2016. The Broncos’ defense will smother the RedHawks in a defensive battle, scoring a touchdown on a fumble return in the first half.

Austin Curtright, USA TODAY Sports: Western Michigan 23, Miami 20

Western Michigan’s lone conference loss this season came against Miami. However, it’s hard to beat a team twice in the same season and the Broncos have won four consecutive games since falling to the RedHawks in late October. It should be a close game, but Western Michigan gets revenge for its first MAC title since 2016.

John Leuzzi, USA TODAY Sports: Miami 24, Western Michigan 21

Defense wins championships, and that is what this game is going to come down to. Both defenses rank in the top four of the MAC in sacks, with Miami leading Western Michigan 38-14 in the category. Whichever defense can get a few stops (or takeaways) in the fourth quarter will win this one.