Homecoming kicks off

This Saturday, the Hoosiers take on another ranked opponent when IU welcomes No. 15 Iowa into Memorial Stadium. The Hawkeyes (6-1, 3-0 Big Ten) are tops in the Big Ten and are heavily regarded as the best team in the conference. Kick-off is slated for 11:10 a.m.\nIowa coach Kirk Ferentz said he is not taking any game lightly. Though Iowa plays Michigan in two weeks, Ferentz said his team is not looking past IU. He said the Hoosiers (3-3, 1-1) are playing well right now.\n"I think we all saw that they beat a fine Wisconsin team last week, and that was impressive," Ferentz said in a statement. "The most impressive thing about it is they were down 29-10, and anytime you can come back from 19 points down against a veteran ball club that knows how to win, that is certainly impressive."\nThe Hoosiers said they have a chance to knock off another ranked team at home. Sophomore linebacker Herana-Daze Jones said the Wisconsin game was just one win, and the team cannot be satisfied. Junior wide receiver Glenn Johnson said it's important not to become too overconfident.\n"Here's another ranked team, but it's just another game," Johnson said. "We have to take it day-by-day."\nThe Hoosiers are riding a six-game win streak at home, the longest in the conference right now. This weekend also marks Homecoming for IU. The Hoosiers won their last Homecoming game in 2000. They are 3-3 in their last six Homecoming games, including one win and one loss to Iowa.\nHead coach Gerry DiNardo said this week is business as usual for his team. He said the practice schedule was the same as if they had lost the game against Wisconsin.\nSenior quarterback Gibran Hamdan said it will take the same amount of preparation for this week's game in order to be successful Saturday.\n"It is going to take us executing on Saturday to come out victorious," Hamdan said. "I don't think anything changes. The thought process is that we have to go into the game prepared and focused and do our best to come out with a victory."\nIowa comes into the game with the Big Ten's best rushing defense but worst passing defense. That may be a good sign for senior Hamdan and his tandem of receivers, Johnson and sophomore Courtney Roby. Hamdan threw for 310 yards and four touchdowns last week while Johnson and Roby both had 94 yards and a touchdown.\n"Hopefully it means a good day for us," Johnson said. "Gibran will have to perform, and Courtney and I will have to step up. It's our job to make plays. Both of us are going to have to have a big game."\nIowa's offense is led by running back Fred Russell who is averaging 132.8 yards per game. DiNardo said Iowa has one of the best offensive lines in the country. He said quarterback Brad Banks is also dangerous because he can run and throw the ball.\nJones said last week's game really made an impact on the Hoosier defense. He said the final defensive stand gave some reward to their hard work. Jones said the key this week will be to shut down and contain the run. \n"We always had confidence," Jones said. "It just shows us what we are capable of doing. We are playing with emotion now."\nHamdan said despite Iowa's ranking, the team is confident that it can play up to the level necessary to win. Hamdan said he is not scared to play anyone. If the team executes, he said, it will be a great game.\n"The focus of this football team is getting prepared for games and going out and playing as well as we can," Hamdan said. "There is nothing about this team that says that we have to show how good we are, or we have to show people that don't believe in us, because we believe in ourselves. All that matters is that we execute and that we prepare ourselves throughout the week to get what needs to get done for us, and that is to win football games"