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Iowa football schedule: Pros and cons of Hawkeyes' 2026 slate

Iowa Hawkeyes On SI · Jul 21, 2026 00:51 · 3 min read

Iowa Football Schedule: Pros and Cons of Hawkeyes' 2026 Slate — Oct 9, 2021; Iowa City, Iowa, USA; The Iowa Hawkeye cheerleaders before the game against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Kinnick Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports | USA TODAY Sports

Iowa's 2026 schedule is a slate of three segments, but how Iowa manages them will tell the entire story.

The 2026 schedule for the Iowa Hawkeyes isn't too different from prior years in the newly expanded Big Ten. There is a trip out West, the draws of a few top teams, but the occasional matchup against a Big Ten whipping boy.

The predicted record for Iowa is falling right in line with what the expectation has been under Kirk Ferentz, but how Iowa is getting there isn't as simple.

And that story can be told by the pros and cons of how the Hawkeyes' 2026 schedule is set up.

Iowa Football Schedule

Saturday, September 5: Northern Illinois (3:15 p.m., Big Ten Network)

Saturday, September 12: Iowa State (6:30 p.m., NBC)

Saturday, September 19: Northern Iowa (3:00 p.m., FS1)

Saturday, September 26: at Michigan

Saturday, October 3: Ohio State

Friday, October 9: at Washington (8 p.m.)

Saturday, October 17: Bye

Saturday, October 24: at Minnesota

Saturday, October 31: Wisconsin

Saturday, November 7: at Northwestern

Saturday, November 14: Purdue

Saturday, November 21: at Illinois

Friday, November 27: Nebraska (11:00 a.m., CBS)

All times CST

Iowa Football Schedule: The Cons

The cons aren't drawing top teams. This is the Big Ten. It's big boy football. You have to play the best.

The con for the Hawkeyes is how these top teams fall on their schedule. Drawing your three toughest games back-to-back-to-back is as big of a con as you can get in a 12-game season.

Iowa opens up Big Ten play on the road at Michigan, an always tough trip. Following that, the Hawkeyes welcome Ohio State to Kinnick Stadium, which at least has the saving grace that it is at home.

If those aren't enough, the Big Ten handed Iowa a short week on the road to take on the Washington Huskies.

The rest of the schedule is very manageable when you look at it, but this section of the schedule is among the hardest in the country.

Iowa Football Schedule: The Pros

So, how can Iowa survive? Sandwich the hard three-game slate with a bunch of wins on both sides of it, which could be done given how the schedule is built.

Iowa should expect nothing less than a 3-0 start against Northern Illinois, Iowa State, and Northern Iowa. Maybe steal one from the Wolverines, Buckeyes, or Washington, and everything is still in front of them.

After Washington, Iowa enters a much-needed bye before a second half of the year that could see them favored in all six games.

Minnesota, Wisconsin, Northwestern, and Purdue in order are somewhat of a favor given to Iowa, which could realistically, if not likely, stack four wins here.

Riley Donald's Thoughts on the 2026 Iowa Football Schedule

Say that Iowa steals one and doesn't stumble down the stretch, Iowa could be 8-2 entering the final two games at Illinois and at home against Nebraska.

The biggest pro for Iowa's schedule may be playing the hard games early with a late-season stretch against manageable opponents.

As we know, the committee likes teams who are hot at the right time. If Iowa loses early, but finds it down the stretch, timing may be on the Hawkeyes' side.