Breakdown: Future Iowa Football Schedules

Hawkeyes Face Heavy Hitters in New Big Ten Conference

Iowa players swarm onto the field before a game against Nevada on Sept. 17, 2022 at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa. (Rob Howe/HawkeyeNation.com)

The Big Ten has released its schedule model for the 2024 and 2025 football seasons, and there’s a little something for everyone in Iowa’s schedules.

Travel? The Hawkeyes will be on both coasts in 2024, but they don’t leave the Midwest the following season.

The rivals? Well, they’re still on the schedule — the Hawkeyes have three protected rivalries, the most of any team, so yes, Floyd of Rosedale will be on the line every season.

The divisions? Fare thee well.

Among the principles that went into the scheduling process, according to the Big Ten:

• Maintaining control and flexibility as the college football postseason format evolves, with the goal to create access for programs into an expanded College Football Playoff.

• Balance of annual travel by distance, regions of the conference, and time zones.

• Balance of historic competitiveness and recent competitive trends, including home/away balance of traditionally competitive schools.

• Balance and maximization of television inventory each season.

Iowa’s Big Ten opponents break down this way:

2024

Home — Maryland, Nebraska, UCLA, Wisconsin

Away — Illinois, Minnesota, Ohio State, Rutgers, USC

2025

Home — Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Northwestern, Penn State

Away — Indiana, Nebraska, Purdue, Wisconsin

A detailed look at the Hawkeyes’ schedules:

SAY HELLO TO THE NEWCOMERS

Iowa is one of three Big Ten teams who get to see UCLA and USC in their first season in the conference.

The Hawkeyes play host to UCLA. The last time the Bruins came to Kinnick Stadium was 1981, a Rose Bowl season for Iowa. The last time Iowa played UCLA was in the Rose Bowl after the 1985 season, a 45-28 Hawkeye loss.

Iowa gets to go to USC. The Hawkeyes played the Trojans in the 2019 Holiday Bowl in San Diego, a 49-24 win. The last time Iowa played at USC was in 1976, a 55-0 loss.

TROPHY DASH

The Big Ten’s schedule model is called the Flex Protect Plus model, where a team plays every conference opponent at least twice — one home and one away — in a four-year period.

As part of the model, there are protected rivalries, and Iowa is the only team to have three protected rivalries — Minnesota, Nebraska and Wisconsin.

The Hawkeyes play host to Nebraska and Wisconsin and are on the road with Minnesota in 2024. The sites are reversed in the following season.

The three rivalries are among 11 protected matchups that will continue annually. The others are Illinois-Northwestern, Illinois-Purdue, Indiana-Purdue, Maryland-Rutgers, Michigan-Michigan State, Michigan-Ohio State, Minnesota-Wisconsin, and UCLA-USC.

HITTING THE ROAD

Iowa is going to play in three time zones in 2024. There’s the trip to USC, but there will also be a trip to Rutgers. Oh, and the Hawkeyes get to play at Ohio State, too.

The 2025 road schedule is much easier for travel — just Indiana, Nebraska, Purdue and Wisconsin.

HEY, IT’S THE SPARTANS

The Hawkeyes haven’t seen Michigan State much over the last few years, and certainly not at Kinnick Stadium.

The last time the two teams played in Iowa City was 2020, and there were no fans outside of family members allowed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Before that, the last time Michigan State was at Kinnick was 2013.

That will change in the next three seasons. Michigan State comes to Kinnick this season, and again in 2025. Michigan also comes to Iowa City in 2025.

NO MORE DIVISIONS

The East and West divisions will be no more at the end of this season (admit it, you still miss Legends and Leaders).

But there’s still a Big Ten championship game. Instead of division champions, the game will feature the top two teams according to conference record (tiebreaker system to be announced at a later date).