Analysis of Kinnick Stadium’s home field advantage

Kinnick Stadium.  The home of the Iowa Hawkeyes. One of the hardest places in college football to play. Not my words. It has been said by others.

Penn State defensive lineman Shaka Toney echoed those sentiments back in 2019.

“That noise and that environment, that’s probably the toughest place to play on the road. You can feel the intensity in the air. I think Iowa is probably one of the toughest stadiums to play at in America. It is always going to be a challenge for anybody who goes in there. You know the history of them beating top teams there,” Toney said.

Iowa is not afraid of anyone stepping onto the turf at Kinnick Stadium. That can be said because it isn’t coming from them. Once it comes from another source, that proves the sentiment true.

That holds true based on statistics and evidence. Over the last five seasons, the Iowa Hawkeyes pride themselves on a 25-7 record on their home field. That comes out to a 0.781 winning percentage. Winning nearly 80% of home kickoffs is the definition of home-field advantage.

The year-over-year records for the last five seasons are:

2021: 6-1
2020: 3-1 (Pandemic shortened season)
2019: 6-1
2018: 5-2
2017: 5-2

For those who are more invested in what has happened lately, if shrunk down to the last three seasons, the record moves to 15-3 and balloons to an 0.833 winning percentage.

The Hawkeyes have also taken down four top-20 opponents during this five-year run of domination in Kinnick Stadium. The wins have been rather convincing as well, further proving that they can play with anyone when they have to come to Iowa.

Starting in 2017, the nation saw a 55-24 Iowa rout over No. 6 Ohio State. The Hawkeyes began the day with a pick-six on the first play of the game and never looked back on their way to a resounding win.

In 2019, Iowa welcomed in undefeated Minnesota for a night kickoff at Kinnick that featured alternate blackout uniforms and encouraged fans to do the same in black Hawkeye gear.

The Golden Gophers…