Kirk Ferentz isn’t used to watching an Iowa football game from his home instead of from the sidelines at Kinnick Stadium, and he is ready to resume the view he’s known for the past quarter-century.

The 69-year-old Ferentz was forced to serve a 1-game university-imposed suspension for a recruiting contact violation, and so he couldn’t be at the stadium for the Hawkeyes’ 40-0 season-opening victory over Illinois State.

“It’s over, and hopefully something I’ll never experience again,” said Ferentz, who will return to the sidelines this Saturday for the annual in-state showdown against Iowa State.

Ferentz did find one silver lining to his seat on Saturday.

“You can see better. That’s one thing,” Ferentz joked on Tuesday. “I had a nice surface to write on, which was the second thing. So, I guess those are two upgrades.

“But outside of that, there wasn’t much good about it. It’s sterile, and you’re pretty much helpless. Not that I do a lot during games anyway, I’m not playing, but you have a total feeling of disconnection, so it was really strange.”

Iowa will face Iowa State on Saturday at home.