Iowa Hawkeyes football name two con-conference opponents Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA Today Sports

Iowa Announces Two Non-Conference Opponents

Originally posted on Iowa Hawkeyes on SI | By Lane Mills | Last updated Oct 23, 2025 5:02 PM ET

With all eyes currently trained on the 2025-26 season, and rightly so, as the Iowa Hawkeyes are potentially trending towards their most impactful season in the B1G in recent history. Still, it's easy to let big news for the future fly under the radar in favor of what's happening right now.

In the same week that this year's Hawkeyes are preparing to host the Minnesota Golden Gophers in a decisive home duel for higher conference placement — the two teams are currently involved in a five-way tie for fourth place — the program has announced two confirmed non-conference opponents for schedules in upcoming years.

Non-Conference Battles

Schedules take ample time to form, with "buy" or "gimme" games being sorted out logistically and financially in advance; oftentimes, it's the non-conference portion of a slate specifically that both changes the most and takes the most time to work out.

In the Hawkeyes' case, they'll first be graced in the 2026 season with the opportunity to host the Northern Iowa Panthers on Sept. 19 in a game that mirror that of this year's home matchup with the UMass Minutemen. An expected win just before conference play to ready the team for the annual steepening in competition that comes with unrelenting B1G play.

In the week prior to that supposed tune-up game comes a much less assured matchup against the in-state rival Iowa State Cyclones.

Earlier this season — in what would become Iowa's first loss — the Hawkeyes hit the road to face the Cyclones at Jack Trice Stadium, scoring 13 to Iowa State's 16 in a traditional slugfest for the Cy-Hawk rivalry. Given the opportunity to host next year, Kinnick Stadium will surely see one of the better outputs of the year as Iowa looks for revenge in a state-settling battle.

A Violent History

The Hawkeyes have only met with the Panthers seven times in either program's history, with their most recent face-off coming in 2018. Unsurprisingly, Iowa is 7-0 all-time against the Northern Iowa, with the 2018 game resulting in a blowout 38-14 victory for the Hawkeyes.

Similarly, in spite of this year's loss, Iowa leads their historical series over Iowa State to a dominant 47-25 degree, holding more wins than the Cyclones at home and on the road, both.

While the future schedule currently has no effect, at the very least, the black and gold can circle Sept. 12 on their calendars as the day they'll seek revenge on the Cyclones in an effort to even the recent odds.

This article first appeared on Iowa Hawkeyes on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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