Is Saturday's game the biggest in IU football history?

[Bowlmania]

Here's a good piece from Matthew Glenesk of the IndyStar.

It's hard to argue with the five games he ranks at the top. Hard to believe one of them was just four years ago.

Some may argue that the 2007 Bucket game doesn't belong on the list. Neither team was ranked, Purdue had already clinched bowl eligibility, but we needed a seventh win that season to make a bowl, and we got it. The emotion of the game after Hep's passing, and the dramatic finish with Austin Starr's 49-yard FG, make it worthy, in my opinion, of Top 5 consideration. And the electricity in the stadium that afternoon/evening was the most I've ever experienced at the Rock.

Here's the link. If it's behind a paywall, my apologies. Just in case, these are the Top 5 (in addition to our game this Saturday) that rank among IU's all-time biggest games:

• 1945 Bucket game, capping the only undefeated season in IU history and a conference championship
• 1967 Bucket game, with a trip to the Rose Bowl on the line
• 1987 IU at Michigan State for first place in the conference and a trip to the Rose Bowl (if we followed up a W in East Lansing with a W over Purdue). Sadly, we lost to the Spartans.
• 2007 Bucket/Play 13/Austin Starr game (see above)
• 2020 #9 IU at #3 Ohio State. Huge comeback and huge game for Michael Penix, but we came up a TD short.

Is Saturday's Indiana-Ohio State game the biggest in IU history? These 5 also have a case.

Saturday's Indiana vs. Ohio State game has the feel of the biggest in IU football's history. Here are 5 more games that belong on the list.

www.indystar.com

 

[Hoosiers Rising]

Idk if it’s bigger than the Rose Bowl but I think it would be the biggest win so far if we can get it.

 

[4NDANA]

I wasn't around for the 1967 season but I would say you should bundle the Bucket game with the Rose Bowl game. Then I would put the 1987 and 2020 games along with most bowl games we have had. Can't remember how many if any bowl games we were favored in so they were all pretty much a chance to prove something. Have to have that Holiday Bowl game on there at the very least. Bucket games are always important but not always program defining or over the hump achievements in my opinion. Based on that we need to win some of these "Biggest" games to make this truly the Biggest with many more to come!!!

 

[Bowlmania]

Idk if it’s bigger than the Rose Bowl but I think it would be the biggest win so far if we can get it.

His list seems to be limited to regular season games. But yes, if we factor in bowl games, then the 1/1/68 Rose Bowl has to be the biggest game. And agree with 4NDANA that you'd have to also include the Corso-coached 1979 Holiday Bowl. We beat previously undefeated BYU for our first bowl win in program history.

 

[YOTHN]

His list seems to be limited to regular season games. But yes, if we factor in bowl games, then the 1/1/68 Rose Bowl has to be the biggest game. And agree with 4NDANA that you'd have to also include the Corso-coached 1979 Holiday Bowl. We beat undefeated BYU for our first bowl win in program history.

I'd politely disagree. If we won that Rose Bowl game....we weren't contending for a national title. If we beat OSU, we instantly become #2 in the nation and are 1 game away from being the #1 overall seed in the CFP. I get it, the Rose Bowl was a big game and its hard to top but lets be honest, there's been times recently where the 2nd or 3rd place B1G team played in the Rose Bowl due to other teams making the 4-team playoff.

So for me, the value of this game lies within the outcome. If we lose it, then historically speaking the Rose Bowl game would've been bigger but if we were to win it...........

 

[Tammany Hall]

I think it is. If others see it differently I get it.

Modern CFB is so big and there is so much money in it. The playoff is a huge deal, basically the whole sports-watching country is focused on it. Making the playoff is a big accomplishment, and it would mean a lot to us as IU tries to build the program into a consistent contender.

This game has so many angles to it, I can't think of many games like it.

• How good are we vs. an elite team? We have looked elite with most of our performances, but it's true we have not played an elite team. And this is maybe the best team in the country on the road (with GameDay and Big Noon hype). We are going to find out a lot about where we stand, which is pretty wild for the 11th game of the year.
• The outcome isn't just win or lose. If we play them reasonably close and lose we still have a good chance at the playoff. If we get blown-out our playoff chances go down quite a bit.
• It's not likely, but if we win, the story gets insane. Not even going to talk about it.

And all of the above is happening with a team that won nine games the past three seasons. We're a team of 3*'s and our NIL is 20-30% of the big programs. This staff is in its first year and had one portal to adjust the roster. I still can't believe we're in this situation. It's awesome -- can't wait and of course it's nerve-racking.

 

[Bowlmania]

I'd politely disagree. If we won that Rose Bowl game....we weren't contending for a national title. If we beat OSU, we instantly become #2 in the nation and are 1 game away from being the #1 overall seed in the CFP. I get it, the Rose Bowl was a big game and its hard to top but lets be honest, there's been times recently where the 2nd or 3rd place B1G team played in the Rose Bowl due to other teams making the 4-team playoff.

So for me, the value of this game lies within the outcome. If we lose it, then historically speaking the Rose Bowl game would've been bigger but if we were to win it...........

I hear you. Certainly it's debatable. But 1967/1968 was a different era when there weren't many bowl games. The Rose Bowl was truly, back then, the granddaddy of them all and there was no bigger stage. And the game featured OJ before, well, you know. But yes, this makes for an interesting debate.

 

[YOTHN]

I hear you. Certainly it's debatable. But 1967/1968 was a different era when there weren't many bowl games. The Rose Bowl was truly, back then, the granddaddy of them all and there was no bigger stage. And the game featured OJ before, well, you know. But yes, this makes for an interesting debate.

I guess I didn't think of how those bowls looked prior to any sort of playoff and such. Its before my time so I honestly wouldn't know. That's a valid point.

 

[OpenWheels]

The Rose Bowl was big to me as a kid, late 70s early 80s. But every time the Big Ten went in there and laid another turd (Bo...) it became a little less so to me. I must be a band wagon fan.

I'd love to win the B1G title. In an 18 team league, first one? Be awesome.

 

[red hornet]

"This game coming up is the biggest because it's the next game"--Coach Cignetti

 

[YOTHN]

"This game coming up is the biggest because it's the next game"--Coach Cignetti

haha He isn't wrong but boy, living by coaches' talk on a fan forum would be quite boring. We need things to banter about!