With the calendar rapidly approaching June, things are going to quickly domino into stories of training camp and turning attention to the 2026 schedule for the Iowa Hawkeyes.
Up first for Kirk Ferentz’s squad on the 2026 slate is a home game against the Northern Illinois Huskies, coming over from DeKalb, Illinois. The Hawkeyes have played the Huskies 10 times, with the last meeting in 2018, and own a 9-1 record against them.
With Iowa’s Big Ten reputation and the Huskies coming off a 3-9 campaign in 2025, the oddsmakers are all over the Hawkeyes in this one. Iowa has opened up as a 29.5-point favorite against Northern Illinois, per DraftKings.
The Hawkeyes have had an incredibly strong record in season-opening games under Kirk Ferentz. Since 2010, Iowa has lost just once in its first game of the season, a 24-20 defeat to Purdue in the COVID-19-impacted season. Iowa has otherwise been unblemished, handling business against Group of Five or FCS teams.
Kickoff versus the Northern Illinois Huskies is set for Saturday, September 5 from Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City with a kickoff time that is still to be determined.
Iowa Hawkeyes Football 2026 Schedule
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This article originally appeared on College Sports Wire: Iowa football opens as heavy favorites in opener vs. Northern Illinois
Reporting by Riley Donald, Hawkeyes Wire / College Sports Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
