Ranking the Iowa football schedule
The battle for the Cy-Hawk Trophy is high on the list of toughest games for Iowa in 2019.
Tom Kakert • HawkeyeReport
@hawkeyereport
The Iowa football team faces a pretty challenging schedule in 2019.
While some Hawkeye fans don't love the non-conference schedule the fact is a road trip to Ames is going to be a huge challenge and even if Middle Tennessee State doesn't come from a big time conference, they have been a regular in lower tier bowl games.
The conference schedule features trips to Michigan, along with going on the road to divisional foes like Wisconsin, Nebraska, and Northwestern, three teams who will contend for the title in 2019.
So, with that in mind, we rank the 2019 Iowa football schedule from toughest to easiest. As you might expect, the toughest games on the schedule will be on the road, which could be a warning sign for predictions for the upcoming season.
1. @MICHIGAN
This will be the Hawkeyes first trip to Ann Arbor since 2012. Obviously no Iowa player has ever played there, except Oliver Martin and some of the freshmen and sophomores were in grade school the last time Iowa played there. You can bet that Jim Harbaugh is still fuming about the 2016 loss in Iowa City and the Wolverines will be looking to get off to a strong start in the early portion of the Big Ten schedule.
2. @IOWA STATE
The #2 spot on this list really could have gone to three road games. What I will factor in here to put the Cyclone second is twofold. First, even though Iowa State wasn’t great two years ago, they pushed the Hawkeyes to overtime in Ames. Second, you can bet that Matt Campbell and company want this one. It’s going to be as wild of an atmosphere as Iowa will face all season.
3. @WISCONSIN
There was a stretch in the Ferentz era where the Hawkeyes had some pretty solid success at Camp Randall Stadium, winning three of four road games from 2003-2009, including Barry Alverez final home game. The Badgers have won six of the last seven meetings and the last time Iowa went to Madison, they were dominated by Wisconsin.
4. @NEBRASKA
The trip to Nebraska kind of feels like the visit to Iowa State this year. A relatively new head coach looking to get a win over their rival to gain full legitimacy from the fan base. Iowa has won four straight against the Cornhuskers, including the last three in Lincoln. That hasn’t sat well in Lincoln and you can bet that Scott Frost has the Black Friday game circled on his calendar.
5. @NORTHWESTERN
This game might have been higher on the list if not for the fact that probably half the fans in Evanston October 26th will be wearing black and gold. That’s just the reality for Northwestern fans, they don’t fill up their stadium on a regular basis with their own fans. Since 2005, Iowa is 2-4 in games at Northwestern and the Hawkeyes have dropped three straight close games to the Wildcats.
6. PENN STATE
Finally a home game. That kind of speaks to the fact that there aren’t any real heavyweights coming to Kinnick Stadium this year and that Penn State might not be as strong as they have been the past few years. They will still be good and after kind of dominating the series earlier in the Ferentz era, Iowa has lost five straight to the Nittany Lions.
7. PURDUE
There was a time not that long ago when Purdue was basically a certain win for the Hawkeyes. From 2008 to 2016, Iowa won six of seven meetings and five were by double figures. Then Jeff Brohm and his bold bombs away offense arrived at Purdue and the Boilers fortunes against the Hawkeyes changed. Two years ago, Purdue came to Iowa City and stunned the Hawkeyes on senior day with a second half barrage of gutsy passes. You can bet that the Boilers have Iowa’s full attention this year.
8. MINNESOTA
Here’s an interesting stat, Iowa hasn’t lost the battle for Floyd of Rosedale in Iowa City since 1999. The Hawkeyes have won the last four meetings for the bronze pig, but the game two years ago was a tight contest at Kinnick Stadium. The Gophers struggled last year early in the Big Ten season before turning things around late in the year, including a trophy game win over Wisconsin. Much like Campbell and Frost, P.J. Fleck needs this one.
9. RUTGERS
The Scarlet Knights are still a bit of a mess. There’s only one meeting on the books between the two schools, but it was a tight contest in New Jersey in 2016, where Rutgers defense really held the Hawkeye offense in check. I’m not sure that Rutgers will be good this year, but given that the game is early in the season, I think it probably rates as the toughest of the perceived easier games on the schedule.
10. ILLINOIS
It’s probably fair to say that Lovie Smith is on the hot seat heading into the 2019 season. While the Illini showed signs of improvement, they probably have to make a bowl game this year to justify his return for the 2020 campaign. Iowa has owned this series, winning all but one game since 2003 and the last three meetings have been very one-sided.
11. MIDDLE TENNESSEE STATE
The game against the Blue Raiders could be a tricky spot for the Hawkeyes. Iowa will be coming off bye week following the trip to Ames with a visit to Ann Arbor looming the following week. Middle Tennessee is a pretty solid program, but they will be breaking in a lot of new pieces early in the year. Iowa should win this one, but I think it has a chance to be close than anticipated.
12. MIAMI,OH
Iowa had a couple of pretty entertaining games against Miami, OH in the early 2000’s. The last meeting in 2016 was a very easy win for the Hawkeyes. This one might be a little tougher, but on paper the season opener under the lights at Kinnick is the easiest game on the schedule in 2019.
The battle for the Cy-Hawk Trophy is high on the list of toughest games for Iowa in 2019.
Tom Kakert • HawkeyeReport
@hawkeyereport
The Iowa football team faces a pretty challenging schedule in 2019.
While some Hawkeye fans don't love the non-conference schedule the fact is a road trip to Ames is going to be a huge challenge and even if Middle Tennessee State doesn't come from a big time conference, they have been a regular in lower tier bowl games.
The conference schedule features trips to Michigan, along with going on the road to divisional foes like Wisconsin, Nebraska, and Northwestern, three teams who will contend for the title in 2019.
So, with that in mind, we rank the 2019 Iowa football schedule from toughest to easiest. As you might expect, the toughest games on the schedule will be on the road, which could be a warning sign for predictions for the upcoming season.
1. @MICHIGAN
This will be the Hawkeyes first trip to Ann Arbor since 2012. Obviously no Iowa player has ever played there, except Oliver Martin and some of the freshmen and sophomores were in grade school the last time Iowa played there. You can bet that Jim Harbaugh is still fuming about the 2016 loss in Iowa City and the Wolverines will be looking to get off to a strong start in the early portion of the Big Ten schedule.
2. @IOWA STATE
The #2 spot on this list really could have gone to three road games. What I will factor in here to put the Cyclone second is twofold. First, even though Iowa State wasn’t great two years ago, they pushed the Hawkeyes to overtime in Ames. Second, you can bet that Matt Campbell and company want this one. It’s going to be as wild of an atmosphere as Iowa will face all season.
3. @WISCONSIN
There was a stretch in the Ferentz era where the Hawkeyes had some pretty solid success at Camp Randall Stadium, winning three of four road games from 2003-2009, including Barry Alverez final home game. The Badgers have won six of the last seven meetings and the last time Iowa went to Madison, they were dominated by Wisconsin.
4. @NEBRASKA
The trip to Nebraska kind of feels like the visit to Iowa State this year. A relatively new head coach looking to get a win over their rival to gain full legitimacy from the fan base. Iowa has won four straight against the Cornhuskers, including the last three in Lincoln. That hasn’t sat well in Lincoln and you can bet that Scott Frost has the Black Friday game circled on his calendar.
5. @NORTHWESTERN
This game might have been higher on the list if not for the fact that probably half the fans in Evanston October 26th will be wearing black and gold. That’s just the reality for Northwestern fans, they don’t fill up their stadium on a regular basis with their own fans. Since 2005, Iowa is 2-4 in games at Northwestern and the Hawkeyes have dropped three straight close games to the Wildcats.
6. PENN STATE
Finally a home game. That kind of speaks to the fact that there aren’t any real heavyweights coming to Kinnick Stadium this year and that Penn State might not be as strong as they have been the past few years. They will still be good and after kind of dominating the series earlier in the Ferentz era, Iowa has lost five straight to the Nittany Lions.
7. PURDUE
There was a time not that long ago when Purdue was basically a certain win for the Hawkeyes. From 2008 to 2016, Iowa won six of seven meetings and five were by double figures. Then Jeff Brohm and his bold bombs away offense arrived at Purdue and the Boilers fortunes against the Hawkeyes changed. Two years ago, Purdue came to Iowa City and stunned the Hawkeyes on senior day with a second half barrage of gutsy passes. You can bet that the Boilers have Iowa’s full attention this year.
8. MINNESOTA
Here’s an interesting stat, Iowa hasn’t lost the battle for Floyd of Rosedale in Iowa City since 1999. The Hawkeyes have won the last four meetings for the bronze pig, but the game two years ago was a tight contest at Kinnick Stadium. The Gophers struggled last year early in the Big Ten season before turning things around late in the year, including a trophy game win over Wisconsin. Much like Campbell and Frost, P.J. Fleck needs this one.
9. RUTGERS
The Scarlet Knights are still a bit of a mess. There’s only one meeting on the books between the two schools, but it was a tight contest in New Jersey in 2016, where Rutgers defense really held the Hawkeye offense in check. I’m not sure that Rutgers will be good this year, but given that the game is early in the season, I think it probably rates as the toughest of the perceived easier games on the schedule.
10. ILLINOIS
It’s probably fair to say that Lovie Smith is on the hot seat heading into the 2019 season. While the Illini showed signs of improvement, they probably have to make a bowl game this year to justify his return for the 2020 campaign. Iowa has owned this series, winning all but one game since 2003 and the last three meetings have been very one-sided.
11. MIDDLE TENNESSEE STATE
The game against the Blue Raiders could be a tricky spot for the Hawkeyes. Iowa will be coming off bye week following the trip to Ames with a visit to Ann Arbor looming the following week. Middle Tennessee is a pretty solid program, but they will be breaking in a lot of new pieces early in the year. Iowa should win this one, but I think it has a chance to be close than anticipated.
12. MIAMI,OH
Iowa had a couple of pretty entertaining games against Miami, OH in the early 2000’s. The last meeting in 2016 was a very easy win for the Hawkeyes. This one might be a little tougher, but on paper the season opener under the lights at Kinnick is the easiest game on the schedule in 2019.
