Land of 10 breakdown of Iowa's 2018 schedule

[LaQuintaHawkeye]

Ranking Iowa’s 2018 football schedule, opponents by difficulty

With roughly 11 weeks left until the opener Sept. 1 against Northern Illinois, it’s time to take a glance at Iowa’s upcoming schedule. Here’s how it breaks down. (click link above)

 

[icwesthawk]

Our 3rd toughest opponent is ISU, wow. NW and Indi scare me more than ISU and that's a fact.

 

[funnyfletcher]

I feel like Purdue is one of the tougher games on the schedule.

 

[anon_i8nzeu2gbf0ba]

The truth is, nobody knows anything about SOS right now, but it's a pretty good bet that Wisconsin and @ PSU will be interesting.

 

[iahawkeyes17]

First 2 are an easy choice with Wisconsin and Penn St. It’s a crap shoot after that what is the 3rd toughest game.

 

[ROCKY MOUNTAIN HAWK]

NW has to be our 3rd toughest game. They’ve proven it over the last 20 years.

 

[MeetTheFerentz]

NW has to be our 3rd toughest game. They’ve proven it over the last 20 years.

Very true. I doubt that anyone close to the program thinks of Iowa State as a more likely loss than Northwestern or even Purdue. The Hawks could certainly blow it; we've all lived through numerous inexplicable no-shows vs. the Cyclones; but NW has arguably a better team, unquestionably better coach and has been an absolute headache for Iowa during the PF era.

 

[David1979]

I would put it like this
Wisconsin
Penn State
Northwestern
Iowa State
Purdue
Nebraska
Indiana
Minnesota
Maryland
Northern Illinois
Illinois
UNI

 

[IACentralHawk73]

I'll be honest, UNI scares the S*** out of me. Coming off of the Iowa State game (which I think will be close) and then bookend it with the Wisconsin game the following week really concerns me. UNI always loves to give Iowa their best shot and I think my concern is valid.

 

[CLONE1]

So the team that is not expected to finish in the top half of the Big 12 is your 3rd toughest opponent? Gotta love the BIG.

 

[KuwaitHawk]

UNI has been close the last two times. Really need to not overlook their team.

 

[Hock-I]

Our 3rd toughest opponent is ISU, wow. NW and Indi scare me more than ISU and that's a fact.

Was my exact thought.

 

[Riverking1969]

I would put it like this
Wisconsin
Penn State
Northwestern
Iowa State
Purdue
Nebraska
Indiana
Minnesota
Maryland
Northern Illinois
Illinois
UNI

I think UNI will surprise us - a TRAP game

 

[iahawkeyes17]

I think UNI will surprise us - a TRAP game

As long as David Johnson isn’t playing I feel fine about this game. Being 630pm kickoff don’t think we will likely see the players come out and play flat that you’d more likely to see if it was a 11am kickoff.

For what it’s worth see UNI preseason #13 in FCS poll. Also SDSU comes in at #5 who play ISU week 1. To no surprise NDSU #1.